Birds sing in their hundreds and thousands,
The calls from golden cages cannot be compared to the sounds of freedom heard from the emerald forests.

This piece is about freedom, a fundamental human right, and was inspired by my solo travels in Vietnam where I gained deeper insights into the brutality of the French occupation and the Vietnam War. I really admire the Vietnamese people's resilience, strength and unity. Vietnam has many lush, emerald forests filled with singing birds. The forests line many limestone mountains, on land and in the sea.

Composer and Pianist: Shirley Ly
Violinists: Charlie Brookes, Susanna Griffin
Violist: John Michael Hird
Cellist: Chris Terepin