#31for21 Treeks and Treats: Agnieszka Productions; Sujeet Dessai and six instruments; Bethan Pickard thesis

December 2013 I discovered Agnieszka K and her younger sister Magdalena.

I suppose I was looking for homeschooled students and their creativity and their wild life in Wales which really appealed to me. 

http://oakwellbarns.co.uk/downs-syndrome/he-ds-home-educating-your-child-with-downs-syndrome/

My little sister - the series - began in 2008 when Agi was 8 and Magda was 4. This year Agi is doing IGCSEs in Spanish; Art; English Language; English Literature and a vocational qualification in filmmaking. She has been to a variety of festivals.

What really comes out in My little sister 9 is Magdalena's love of investigations and of science.

And it was good to find a Hallowe'en related video from Agi K's work. She worked on that with several friends.

I think it was because I was reading a few women's magazines and journalism pieces from a ghost writer and storyshaper - one of the stories happened to be about My little sister and Magdalena and Agi's relationship.

I also may have come across it through Natty and Mia and Hayley Golienowska and their work - the two have just won a Youth Award.

And I probably didn't visit for another three years or so. Agnieszka Productions, was, however, placed into my StumbleUpon account.

Here is the very first My little sister:

Magda was nearly 5 years old when this film was made. Agi talks about the games they like to play together and the time and effort they spend together as sisters.

Wouldn't it be great to go on a retreat at Oakwell Barnes in Wales?

Their Mum and Dad are Anita and Alex Kolaczynska. The Mum wrote a book on Breastfeeding and Down Syndrome which was published in 2016.

When Magdalena was born from 14 February 2013 - Magda was born in 2006; Agi in 2003.

Born Stroppy page by Anita describing Magdalena's party when she was 10.

Agi K's films including My Little Sister series - $5.95 for each film to rent and $11.95 to buy.

What do you know about ladybirds, Magdalena? My little sister 8 [2016 trailer]. I liked that's science and that doesn't tell you anything and the scene on the beach reminded me of the Du Pre sisters Hilary and Jacqueline.

The first seven My Little Sisters can be bought for $11.70 Australian from VIMEO.

A long time ago there was this Children on the hill family who were raised by Maria and Martin. There was Ruth; Adam; Christian and Paul. There had been a great deal of detective work. And they were also Welsh.

Vimeo on Demand MY LITTLE SISTER 1 to 7

Vimeo on Demand: My Little Sister 8 which is 45 minutes long.

My Little Sister 9 is 55 minutes long.

And I remember too following the Polish players in the Hopman Cup in 2014.

And calls from various family members.

Grandmere had shared a letter from 2011 from one of her friends.

And because I missed out on James Blunt yesterday, here is one from Agi K!

She made some good ones with Abi Foster and Charlie XCX and many great UK independents of the early 2010s.

Magdalena tells lots of stories in part 4. The opener is a good one! She is memorising Doctor Foster. And she likes to act out the rhymes she knows and doesn't know.

"Fairies are my friends".

Magdalena Kolaczyska 

And she is good at looking at plants and fruits.

A change of pace:

while I was researching and learning about Sujeet Desai's latest performances in Trinidad and Tobago with a school orchestra, I remembered the Riverbend website who work in Southwestern Illinois.

Bethan Pickard was based at the Royal Welsh College of Speech and Drama when she wrote Music and Down Syndrome. The author is a flautist.

There was a historical evaluation and wide-ranging information about everything musical from rhythm to musical give-and-take.

I definitely agree that improvisation is one key to learning and appreciating music theory and practice.