On December 6th, 2025, the Swansea Philharmonic Choir gathered in All Saints’ Church in Mumbles for In Memory of Susan, a concert of remembrance for the life and musical legacy of Susan Croall.
The evening featured a selection of meditative music including Morten Lauridsen’s Sure on this Shining Night and Eric Whitacre’s Sing Gently, alongside Ola Gjeilo’s The Ground (taken from his Sunrise Mass) and Dan Forrest’s choral elegy, Good Night Dear Heart. The choir explored themes of transition and peace through Edward Elgar’s They are At Rest, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ setting of Christina Rossetti’s Rest, and Stephen Paulus’ The Road Home.
The performance also featured William Henry Harris’ anthem for double choir, Bring us, O Lord God, and a moving rendition of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Crossing the Bar set to the music of Hubert Parry. The occasion was enriched by shared memories of Susan from Huw Tregelles Williams and a special tribute from Helen Murray, Chairman of Ty Olwen Hospice Trust. The evening concluded with Henry Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn which served as a perfect prayer for the “close of day” and a symbol of final rest.
Saturday’s concert was a wonderful performance and a fitting tribute to Susan’s life in music, and the feedback from audience members has been overwhelmingly positive. Special thanks to our soloist, Katherine Foxall, and to Huw Tregelles Williams for generously sharing his memories of Susan. As always, we are deeply grateful to our Conductor and Musical Director, Jonathan Rogers, and to our Accompanist, Chris Samuel, for their exceptional contributions throughout the term and on the night itself.