Eric Genuis, a renowned composer/pianist, studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and the Berklee School of Music.

Doubting he could make a living as a musician, Eric became a high school physics teacher. But when a friend invited him to perform in a Texas prison, everything changed. In a bleak room under harsh lights, the music transformed the space. An inmate cried out, "I forgot what hope felt like." In that moment, Eric discovered his true calling.

Since then, Eric has performed more than 1,500 Concerts of Hope in prisons worldwide, including Sing Sing, San Quentin, Folsom, Angola, and Death Row in Texas.

A masterful storyteller, Eric reveals how the trauma in his own life-and his encounters with inmates-became the wellspring of his compositions. He shares how moments of loss, hardship, and redemption gave birth to his music.

Grounded by his Catholic faith, Eric demonstrates how pain, when surrendered, can be transformed into beauty. His original works, recorded with British Maestro Allen Wilson and the Slovak National Symphony, carry that journey in every note.

In the Mater Media Speaker Series, Eric will perform a scintillating Christmas Concert featuring a renowned violinist, world-class cellist, and a stunning soprano.