Remy van Kesteren, Karsu and Joost Peters join forces!
TeamNL rider Marlies van Baalen has teamed up with top harpist and all-rounder Remy van Kesteren, the phenomenal singer and pianist Karsu and the amazing freestyle specialist Joost Peters to create a special new freestyle for her top horse Habibi DVB, which will be premiered during the World Cup competition at Jumping Amsterdam.
Marlies: “Habibi DVB is the horse with which I became Dutch dressage champion last year and with which I was able to ride the Freestyle Final at the European Championships in Riesenbeck. Habibi didn’t have his own freestyle yet so it was high time to start working on that. After we saw Remy playing during a performance, we approached him if he would like to compose the freestyle and we brought Remy and Joost together. And at home we are huge fans of Karsu, so I am overjoyed that they all wanted to collaborate! The goal was to make a very special freestyle, one that was written on our body and that the audience could enjoy. I think we succeeded in that!”
What makes the freestyle special is that it is a collaboration of top talents from different disciplines, resulting in a beautiful piece of music that is harmonious, cinematic and powerful. Remy van Kesteren composed and produced the freestyle, in collaboration with Joost Peters, while the vocals were provided by Karsu.
The freestyle tells a story of friendship and is an ode to the cooperation between horse and rider, where the spectator is accompanied by a beautiful choreography, which was created by Marlies and Coby van Baalen. The harp takes center stage, which to date is unique for a freestyle. Professional horns, percussionists and strings complete the ensemble.
Marlies: “There are beautiful competitions on the calendar this year where I hope to ride this freestyle with Habibi. I am very grateful to Remy, Karsu and Joost for their great cooperation. It is enormously inspiring to see them at work and I think the end result is downright fantastic!”
If all goes according to plan, Marlies and Habibi DVB’s new freestyle will be heard in the RAI at the World Cup competition at Jumping Amsterdam on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 27.
