For nearly six decades, Susan Croall was the steadfast heart and soul of our choir, embodying the very essence of dedication and musical excellence within our community. It is rare to find anyone so unwavering in commitment—week after week, year after year, Susan was there. Her presence at rehearsals was as dependable as it was inspiring, always bringing a focus and support that elevated every aspect of our music-making.
Yet Susan’s contributions went far beyond her presence. Her meticulous attention to detail and encyclopaedic knowledge of the repertoire raised the standard of everything we undertook. Her skill was formidable, allowing our singers to feel assured and confident in their interpretations. This remarkable precision was matched by her technical mastery, an exceptional quality that allowed us to tackle even the most challenging compositions with ease and fluency. To have an accompanist who could sight-read the trickiest passages without hesitation, who could shift from delicate accompaniment to powerful support in an instant, and who embraced every musical challenge wholeheartedly was a gift beyond words.
It wasn’t only in the everyday repertoire that Susan’s brilliance shone. With her at the piano, we dared to reach musical heights we might otherwise have hesitated to pursue. Together, in recent years, we took on pieces like Britten’s War Requiem and Bach’s B Minor Mass—works that demand exceptional agility and musical insight. In Susan’s hands, these complex pieces came alive with a depth of artistry that shaped our interpretations, revealing layers and nuances that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
To describe Susan merely as an accompanist feels far too limiting. For those of us fortunate enough to work alongside her, it is clear she was much more – a collaborator, a mentor, and above all, a beloved member of our choir family. For all these years, she shared with us not only her exceptional talent but also her kindness, generosity, and warmth. As a conductor, I feel profoundly lucky to have had Susan by my side, and our entire choir has been enriched by her unwavering dedication and love for this shared passion.
We are deeply grateful for her legacy and mourn her loss with heavy hearts. May flights of angels sing her to her rest.
Jonathan Rogers