Former Yes musician Rick Wakeman has performed a piano concert for an audience of 150 rescued moon bears at a sanctuary in Vietnam. Wakeman, known for his solo career and support for animal welfare, played new compositions on a Yamaha grand piano at Animals Asia’s bear sanctuary in Tam Dao national park.
The performance aims to raise awareness for moon bears kept in what are described as cruel conditions for bile extraction. Wakeman stated that 125 bears reportedly remain in cages at old bear bile farms in Vietnam, with four dying each month, and urged the government to facilitate their release into the sanctuary.
Wakeman has been sponsoring rescue bears since 2016 and recently adopted a new 20-month-old bear. He expressed hope that the bears would respond to the melodic piano music, noting that animals are known to react to such sounds.