Music Leadership

Shawn Grenke, Director of Music at ESG
Shawn Grenke, Director of Music at ESG

“I feel extremely honoured to be part of such a wonderful worshiping community with such a history and strength of musical excellence.”

Shawn Grenke, Pianist, Organist and Conductor

Conductor, Pianist and Organist Shawn Grenke is Director of Music at
Eglinton St. George’s United Church in Toronto, Associate Conductor and
Accompanist for the Amadeus Choir of Toronto, Accompanist to the Elmer
Iseler Singers of Toronto, and Artistic Director of the 80-voice Achill Choral
Society in Orangeville, Ontario. Shawn began his musical training as a chorister and pianist with the Hastings County Board of Education Concert Choir under the Direction of Rudolf Heijdens in his hometown of Belleville. He has a Bachelor of Music degree (2000) from Mount Allison University
(New Brunswick), and a Master of Music degree (2002) from the University
of Toronto. Shawn has made international appearances in concerts in
Poland, at the ‘Let the Future Sing’ Choral Festival in Sweden, the ‘Le
Mondial Choral Loto-Québec World Choral Competition’ in Laval, Québec,
‘Xinghai Choral Competition’ in China, Seoul, Roy Thomson Hall, CBC Radio,
and other various festivals, concert series and recitals throughout
Canada, the United States and Europe.

The ESG Choir is supported by professional singers who act as section leaders and as soloists during Sunday services and concerts.


Emily Taub, First Soprano

Emily Taub
Emily Taub

A graduate of the voice program at McMaster University, Emily Taub is a lead soprano at Eglinton St. George’s United Church choir as well as the founder of the VOX Youth Community Choir. Emily also holds a position in the Elmer Iseler Singers. This past Fall, Ms. Taub was a featured soloist for the What If? production in Hamilton, with music composed by Jack Lenz. Emily has also founded a mixed voices ensemble: À LA MODE out of Hamilton, now celebrating its fourth season. Emily often enjoys providing clinician work for local choirs, most recently as guest speaker for CANACC the Canadian A Capella Conference. A student of Tom Schilling and the “vocalway studio”, Ms. Taub continues to pursue excellence in classical voice. When not conducting or studying, Emily teaches voice privately in Hamilton, composes and arranges choral works and performs around the GTA in her Gospel trio EmBoddiement and the a capella dectet Kanto.


Meghan Jamieson, Second Soprano

Meghan Jamieson
Meghan Jamieson

Nova Scotia-born Soprano, Meghan Jamieson, has performed with the Maritime Concert Opera singing the role of Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and later the role of Amor in Orfeo ed Euridice, the DGM Music Inc. production of Rent and several Dalhousie Opera Workshops including Mahagonny Songspiel, where she sang the role of Jessie and Cinderella, where she brought the character of Miranda to life. Her performance as Cathleen in Riders to the Sea at the Halifax Summer Opera Workshop was reviewed in the magazine Opera Canada, where she was described as “an exciting and beautiful young singer with a wide vocal range and much acting ability.” In the summer of 2015 Meghan played the role of the First Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. She debuted at the Glenn Gould School in her role as Parthénis in Offenbach’s La belle Hélène and her title debut in El Gato con Botas this fall playing the role of the Cat. She looks forward to her title role in Alcina in Handel’s Alcina in the spring.
Meghan has completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, close to her hometown, under the tutelage of Lucy Hayes-Davis. Now she is working towards her Artist’s Diploma at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, studying with the incomparable Monica Whicher and coaching with the incredible Peter Tiefenbach.


Ariane Meredith, First Alto

Information coming soon


Margaret Bardos, Second Alto

Hungarian-born mezzo Bó (Margaret) Bárdos is based in Southern Ontario and loves touring. At home with classical as well as new, experimental music, she seeks out creative challenges and cherishes working with good hearted people. With a voice described by Opera Canada as “mellow, fruity, that caresses the ears”, Canadian and European appearances include interdisciplinary collaborative and site-specific projects that make use of her varied training: from Butoh dance and physical theatre to extended vocal technique and improvisation.  She continues as a grateful member of the studio of Tom Schilling. When not on stage, in the studio, or out collecting sounds, she can be found on the back of a horse, or meditating under her favourite clump of trees.  Margaretbardos.ca


Kevin Bieman, First Tenor

Kevin Bieman grew up in Elora, Ontario and began his music career in local churches, first as a chorister and accompanist, and finally as a music director. He was one of the founding members of the Centre Wellington Singers, and was the accompanist for the group. Kevin completed his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Toronto in 2002 and went on to complete a Bachelor of Education degree at OISE. He is now a grade 5 teacher for the Peel Board of Education at Cashmere Avenue Public School. Kevin has travelled across the province as an accompanist and vocalist for community groups such as the A La Mode Choir of Hamilton. Kevin also freelances at many churches, and professional ensembles in the Greater Toronto Area. He is very happy to call Eglinton St. George’s United Church his musical home this year.


Michael Sawarna, Second Tenor

Michael Sawarna is happy to be a member of the Eglinton St. George’s Choir this year. He is a member of the Elmer Iseler Singers and a section lead for the Amadeus choir. His past choral experiences had him singing with the Aradia Ensemble, Choir 21, the Elora Festival singers, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. He also plays bassoon with The North York Concert Orchestra.


Bryan Estabrooks, Baritone

Bryan Estabrooks

Ottawa-born lyric baritone Bryan Estabrooks first joined Eglinton St. George’s choir in 1999 while completing his BMus at the University of Toronto.  After completing his Master of Music at the University of Michigan he was thrilled to rejoin his fellow choristers.  When not singing at ESG, Bryan has performed in the city with Toronto Operetta Theatre, Opera in Concert, members of the Toronto Symphony (Messiah for the City), and as a soloist and workshop educator with various local choirs.   Bryan also works in video and audio content production, recently on his brother Jonathan’s debut album: These Miles.


Kenneth Baker

Kenneth Baker, Bass

Kenneth Baker has performed across Canada from Victoria, B.C. to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Having received his musical education at Wilfrid Laurier University and Toronto Opera School, he has performed as soloist with the Canadian Opera Company (COC), Stratford Festival, K-W Symphony, Tafelmusik, Opera Piccola, Opera in Concert, Royal Opera, Tapestry Singers, Toronto G & S Society, Elmer Iseler Singers, and Toronto Boys’ Choir. Versatile in Opera, G & S and Music Theatre, Kenneth has performed more than 60 stage roles, as well as performing in numerous concerts and recitals. He is currently in his 38th season with the COC as a chorister, and was the bass soloist and section lead at St. Timothy’s Anglican for 7 ½ years prior to coming to ESG. His home church is St. Clements Anglican, where he sang with his children at the 9:00 service while they were with the youth choir. He is happy to be a part of the ESG family, now in his 4th year with the choir.