As a result of the Chinese exclusion act, San Francisco Bay’s Angel Island acted as an immigration station for mostly Chinese immigrants in the beginning of the 20th century. Those held at the station would spend weeks, months, and even years on the island in horrible living conditions before being released or sent back to their origins. There are many poems written on the walls describing the sense of despair, loneliness, anxiety, and boredom which people faced during their stay. The title of my orchestral piece, “Cages of Jade,” comes from one of these poems. Through my piece for full symphony orchestra, I sought to portray the journey of this author from their arrival at the station to their eventual release into the US.