Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has performed a concert for 150 rescued moon bears in Vietnam. The performance was done to raise awareness for animals caged in bile farms often in cages so small they cannot turn around or even stand on all fours.
The concert was performed on a Yamaha grand piano in Animals Asia’s bear sanctuary in Tam Dao national park with some new pieces written by Wakeman specifically for the event.
The Performance and Its Purpose
According to The Guardian, Wakeman said when asked whether the bears would enjoy the show, “They’ve not got much choice, really. It’s a well-known fact that all animals react to music, especially gentle melodic music. So what I am going to do is piano music that is melodic, and I can only hope that they will come up to the perimeter of the sanctuary and have a listen.”
Wakeman’s Involvement with Bear Rescue Causes
The keyboardist has been sponsoring and supporting bear rescue causes since 2016. Speaking of a bear he recently adopted, he said, “He’s only 20 months old, a big fella, I went to see him today. He came out right to the edge and stood on his back legs and just stared at me, it was brilliant.”
The Issue of Bile Farms
Bile farms, which exist to extract the fluid from bears for traditional medicine, constitute the fourth biggest illegal animal trade market in east Asia, with the practice banned in Vietnam. The practice has seen the population of Asiatic black bears drop by roughly a third in just 30 years.
Reactions to the Performance
When asked to comment on the bears of the Tam Dao sanctuary, Wakeman said, “To see the bears be rehabilitated, having a life they never had before, some have never put their feet on grass before. They are so wonderful, that we can do such horrendous things to animals is beyond belief. Before this, they were chained in cages sometimes for 10 or 20 years in conditions where they couldn’t even turn around.”
Animals Asia founder and CEO Dr. Jill Robinson said of the performance, “We are beyond blessed to have Rick’s support for Animals Asia and the bears. His love for them is immeasurable and can be heard in the beautifully haunting music he has written for them. We’re all so excited to hear his performance in the open air at our sanctuary in the stunning setting of Tam Dao national park. I can’t wait to see how the bears respond.”
Wakeman’s Recent Work
Rick Wakeman released his most recent studio album Melancholia in October of 2025, consisting of 12 solo piano pieces as the completion of a trilogy of piano suites.
In conclusion, Rick Wakeman’s concert for the rescued moon bears in Vietnam highlights the importance of raising awareness about the cruel treatment of animals in bile farms. Through his music and support, Wakeman continues to make a difference in the lives of these amazing creatures, and his performance at the Tam Dao sanctuary is a testament to the power of music to bring people and animals together.
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