Rock Star Serenade: Bears Enjoy Live Piano Concert

Rock musician Rick Wakeman recently performed a unique piano concert at Animals Asia's sanctuary in Vietnam, fulfilling a personal dream. Eleven moon bears, rescued from bear bile farms, were treated to Wakeman's live performance. The bears, who had endured years of captivity and trauma, gathered near the musician and his grand piano, with some remaining engaged for the entire hour-long recital.

Wakeman, a longtime ambassador for Animals Asia, has actively supported their efforts to end the cruelty of bear bile farming since 2016. He composed four piano pieces inspired by the rescue bears he met during his visits to the sanctuary. This special concert, though delayed by the pandemic and Wakeman's surgery, finally took place on September 24, 2026.

Animals Asia continues its mission to rescue the remaining 125 bears still held in cramped cages on shuttered farms in Vietnam. Wakeman expressed his hope that the event would encourage public support for freeing these final bears. The organization emphasizes that with compassion and resources, bears rescued from horrific conditions can thrive in sanctuaries.