Paul Soulek ’07 serves university, Higher Things, church at large with musical talents

Paul Soulek ’07 serves Concordia University, Nebraska as adjunct professor of music. He is also cantor and director of music at St. John Lutheran Church and School in Seward, where he provides opportunities for students to develop and use their musical skills in worship services and music classrooms. At Concordia Nebraska, he directs the Male Chorus and teaches courses in arranging, church music and applied organ. His compositions for organ have been published by Concordia Publishing House. 

Soulek discovered Concordia University, Nebraska because his high school principal was a graduate of the university’s music program. His encouragement for Soulek to study organ with Dr. Jeffrey Blersch led him to do a campus visit. 

“The rest is history,” he laughed. 

He has a bachelor of parish music degree from Concordia Nebraska as well as a master of church music degree from Concordia University Chicago.  

Soulek serves the church at large as cantor for Higher Things. 

He said that Concordia Nebraska is all about relationships. He cites the lifelong friends he met during his time on campus as a student and the matchless relationships he’s made on campus and in the Seward community as an adult. 

“The campus community and the lifelong friends that I made here [as a student are priceless]. And many of those have returned to Concordia in various faculty and staff roles!” he said. “As a student seemingly small things with my professors made a big impact, all stemming from relationships: getting to know me as a person, gently but directly broadening my view of the world, reminding me that I've already died and risen with Jesus.” 

 Soulek said he saw many examples of selfless service in both professors and fellow students, especially those who graduated a few years ahead of him in the same program.  

“The classes were great, but the real wrestling and growth seemed to happen in the dorm conversations and eating together in the dining hall. The community helped me to see Jesus as present amongst the actual joy and sorrow of life,” he explained. “I never thought I'd be back in Seward after graduation. I went home to Minnesota and worked at a convenience store for a few months. I got the call back to St. John a few months later, and I've been in Seward ever since!” 

 Soulek began teaching as an adjunct at the university in fall of 2013. 

  “This is the third time Higher Things has had a conference in Seward, and I love welcoming people to our church and campus!”

“At St. John, I play the organ for most services, direct our adult vocal and instrumental groups, and do all the planning that goes along with that,” he explained. “I also direct two handbell choirs and a vocal choir in our school and support our school music teacher with accompanying and other resources.” 

While Soulek’s schedule is very full and the days can be very long, he said he simply loves what he does.  

“I love the flexibility and variety that's involved in my job,” he said. “Scheduled classes and rehearsals take up around 15 hours a week during the school year, but I often have the best conversations about funeral hymns in the bread aisle at Walmart. Finding new music, planning ensemble schedules for worship, coordinating a visiting choir's visit or subbing for 5th grade band rehearsal could all be part of a typical morning. The relationships are the best! I get to live and work with people through the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life. Some of this involves music, some of it just involves listening to someone's concern or bringing a dessert to a potluck.” 

 Soulek is an only child, and his mom lives in Round Lake, Minnesota where he grew up.  

“My dad was a pastor and joined the heavenly choir in February 2020 . ‘With all the company of heaven...’ means a little more to me in the liturgy these days,” he said. “I also have wonderful friends-like-family here in Seward, and there's no shortage of hymn sings, barbeques and home repair projects to fill my social bucket.” 

Soulek began working with Higher Things as one of their staff organists in 2015, and he continued playing for one or two conferences a year after that.  

“The last few years I've served as cantor for the organization, which involves planning the music used for conferences and serving as a resource for other events,” he said. “This is the third time Higher Things has had a conference in Seward, and I love welcoming people to our church and campus!” 

Higher Things “All Things New” will take place at Concordia University, Nebraska July 8-11, 2025. The mission of Higher Things is to make the Gifts of Christ Jesus known to youth and young adults. Higher Things offers a variety of resources such as conferences, retreats, camps, mission events, videos, devotions, podcasts and books. Higher Things is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Throughout the last 25 years, Higher Things has supported the congregations, universities and seminaries of the LCMS by helping to create a distinctly Lutheran identity in our youth and young adults.