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Richard J. Birkin ‘Vigils’ Live @ The Wardwick, Derby10th Anniversary performance of the critically acclaimed album, performed with a string quartet for the first time at Derby Museum’s historic Wardwick Building (the Old Central Library)
Event date: Derby, Saturday 2nd May 2026
Derby-based neo-classical composer Richard J. Birkin is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his critically-acclaimed album Vigils with a rare performance. The album will be performed in full with a string quartet in the amazing setting of The Wardwick (the old Derby Central Library) at Derby Museum & Art Gallery.�
Vigils was Birkin’s first album under his own name, following years of releasing and touring as Emphemetry, as well as part of The Little Explorer and cult punk band Crash of Rhinos.
Centred around hushed pianos recorded in the mills of the Derwent, with string quartets and subtle electronics opening up into wide-eyed cinematic wonder, the compositions soon started cropping up on the big and small screens. Most notably, Night Sun appeared in two episodes of The Young Pope (starring Jude Law), while Vigil V soundtracked a key moment in the Silvio Berlusconi biopic Loro.
Having spent most of the last decade away from the stage (due to a debilitating case of stage fright following many years of touring) Birkin revisited Vigils initially only for a 10th Anniversary vinyl pressing. Listening again to these pieces reignited a sense of purpose and a desire to be in a room with people, instruments and music.
“Human connection has always been the main thing that I’ve written about. I realised that I have really missed connecting with people through live music. It was like a bolt of lightning really. Scary, but obvious. Also, I’ve been to a couple of concerts in the old central library building at The Wardwick and thought that if I ever did perform again, it would have to be there!”
Vigils will be re-released this year, and pressed onto vinyl for the very first time.
Support comes from Derby’s YAY MARIA, performing a special solo piano set.
Buy tickets: https://www.gigantic.com/richard-j-birkin-string-quartet-vigils-10th-anniversary-show-tickets/derby-the-wardwick/2026-05-02-18-30
Listen/buy the album: https://rjbirkin.bandcamp.com/album/vigils-10th-anniversary-remastered
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Event Venue
The Wardwick, Derby, United Kingdom
Tickets
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