Every life has a purpose. From the time Paul Saik was a small child, he has touched the lives of many with his talents and love of music. An accomplished vocalist, pianist, and organist, Paul is living his purpose with every breath and every step…armed with a passion for sacred music and a sincere desire to reach others with the powerful message of Christ’s love.
Paul is the Director of Music Ministries at Centenary United Methodist Church in New Bern, North Carolina where he resides with his wife Katie Holleran Saik of Boise, Idaho, and daughter, Blakely.
A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Paul began playing piano at age 3 and spent much of his time performing in church. His first church position came at the young age of 13 as the church pianist at First Baptist Church in Pearl, Mississippi. He quickly developed a love for church music and started playing the organ at age 16. Paul studied piano and organ at Mississippi College and received a Bachelor of Music degree in piano, winning several awards and competitions. He also studied abroad at the University of London. A Pressar Scholar, Paul furthered his education at Baylor University, where he received a Master of Music degree in church music and organ and won several vocal competitions in the Texas NATS.
A versatile singer, he has performed with opera companies throughout the United States and around the world. But after many years of performing on some of the biggest stages in the world, Paul realized that the successes of his career could not outweigh the stresses and challenges that he faced every day. In the summer of 2003, Paul felt God’s call back to his first love…sacred music. Although he enjoyed tremendous success and opportunity throughout his career, Paul could not deny the call on his life to share his testimony through music. “I was happy doing opera, but it did not satisfy my soul. It did not fulfill my passion for music. However, God did use it to prepare me for where I am now. I also realized that a life without God is a life not worth living. It made me realize that as much as music provides happiness for me, that only God could provide the happiness that I had lost.”
Paul recorded and released his first CD of sacred music, I Choose Jesus, in the summer of 2004. A collection of piano/vocal and solo piano tracks, it is an artfully crafted reflection of his calling into Christian music. In the fall of 2004, Paul followed up the successful release of I Choose Jesus with his first Christmas collection, One Silent Night, featuring beautifully arranged renditions of classic Christmas hymns and powerfully moving performances of modern favorites. Paul’s 2005 release, Songs Of Inspiration, features some of the finest and most inspirational songs ever written. Filled with emotional ballads, stirring anthems, and graceful instrumentals, this ambitious collection pulls from both secular and sacred music, showcasing Paul’s exceptional vocal instrument, lush arrangements, and engaging piano performances. Paul’s fourth release, Love, Mercy & Grace (2006), is a deeply personal musical journey that embraces the revelation of God’s unconditional love, His tender mercy, and healing grace, and captures the extraordinary power of faith and the encouragement of hope. In 2007, Paul released his first-ever live recording, Live From Brentwood, as well as the second collection in Paul’s Inspiration series, Hymns of Inspiration, featuring masterfully arranged and performed hymns. Paul’s latest album release features timeless secular standards in an engaging trip down memory lane. Released in the fall of 2008, Remembrances is Paul’s first recording with a band and represents a part of Paul’s musical career past.
In addition to performing at his concerts, Paul also enjoys leading worship at annual conferences, revivals, and other special events. He has performed for the South Carolina Dental Association, at the OK Mozart International Festival in Bartlesville, OK, and at the Bridging the Gap Christian Leadership Conference at Epworth By The Sea in St. Simons Island, GA. He has also led worship at the National Gathering of United Methodist Men (2005 and 2009), the Tennessee Annual Conference, the Louisiana Annual Conference, the North Alabama Annual Conference and serves as a Worship Leader on Education Opportunities’ Cruises. Paul just recently finished a concert tour with Education Opportunities and Amawaterways River Cruises down the Danube River.
His passion is leading people in worship, and his music has touched many people, as he has performed in numerous churches throughout the country. His concerts are a unique journey through his life as he performs various styles of music. You can hear everything from opera, Broadway, organ, piano, and vocal solos. But everything leads to his desire to bring comfort, guidance, and the presence of God to each listener, so that they may know that God truly loves them. “I don’t know why God has blessed me with the talents He has, just as He blesses every person with their own…but I want to use them to honor Him, to thank Him, to lead others in worshipping Him. My prayer is that all who see how I live my life, find Him in me.”