Less like a traditional concert and more of an immersive mindfulness experience built around a live piano, nature, meditation, and a shared space, the unique MindTravel silent concert is set to bring the community together through music at Coolidge Park this Wednesday, May 27th.
Led by composer and mindfulness expert Murray Hidary, the event sees Hidary performing real-time improvised piano compositions while audience members sit on the grass on blankets or lawn chairs around him and place wireless headphones in their ears, creating a silent concert environment where everyone listens together, silently.
The experience aims to connect people through a shared listening experience, one where folks are encouraged to reflect and gather together for a night of community, tranquility, presence, and music. Imagine a concert where the loudest thing is not the crowd or the band, but the quieting of thoughts inside your mind inspired by music and collective reflection. That’s an incredibly moving and beautiful concept.
In speaking with composer, pianist, and creator of MindTravel, Murray Hidary, about the event’s origins, what inspired him to create the immersive experience, and how it has evolved over the years, Hidary suggested that the idea was born out of a desire to travel inward and that they now have grown into performing over 200 shows a year all across the country.
“MindTravel began in 2013 as an exploration of what becomes possible when music is experienced not just as entertainment but as a pathway inward. Music has always been my personal meditation practice, and following a deep personal loss, it became the way I found healing. I wanted to make that same healing available to others, and that's how MindTravel was born. The silent headphone technology creates an opportunity to make the experience deeply intimate while still communal. Instead of competing with the environment, the music becomes part of it.
Today, what began as intimate outdoor piano meditations has evolved into a robust slate of immersive experiences across beaches, parks, museums, theatres, and cultural landmarks, totalling 200+ performances per year. Unlike other musical acts, MindTravel has built its performance route with an eye towards building community: returning month after month to the same or similar locations, where attendees repeat the experience, often bringing friends to share it. At its core, MindTravel's intention has always been to create space for people to reconnect with themselves and each other.”
When speaking to Hidary about how people listening individually on their headphones changes the emotional experience of the concert and the connection between the audience and performer, he mentioned that the headphones create a paradox.
“The headphones create a remarkable paradox: the experience becomes both intensely personal and deeply collective at the same time. When the music is delivered directly into your ears, it bypasses many of the external distractions that often exist in traditional concerts. It can feel almost as if the music is speaking directly to you. There’s an intimacy and emotional immediacy that opens people up in unexpected ways. At the same time, because everyone is sharing the same sonic journey, there’s a profound sense of unity in the space. You look around and see hundreds or thousands of people breathing together, moving together, and reflecting together, often in complete silence except for the music in their headphones.
The outdoor environment also becomes an active participant in the performance. The music is created in the moment, so the sunset, the stars, the rhythm of the ocean, and the energy of a city skyline become part of the composition itself. Nature and music begin to mirror one another, reminding us that we are not separate from the world around us. Similarly, because the music is created in the moment, not only are no two MindTravels ever the same, but the journey itself is continuous and uninterrupted, allowing for deep introspection and contemplation.”
The idea of listening to someone perform live piano with headphones while everyone around you is also listening to the same music individually feels like both a shared and personal experience. As Hidary suggests, it is indeed paradoxical. It also seems fun and different, and a way to connect with nature and like-minded folks.
When asked about his plans for MindTravel in the next three to five years, Hidary mentioned that he hopes to continue to see it expand globally and impact lives by bringing people together through a sonic journey.
“The vision for MindTravel has always been about human connection and making that accessible to all: bringing these experiences to as many communities and people as possible. Over the past two years, we've brought MindTravel to well over a dozen new cities, and we hope to see that growth continue.
Looking to the next several years, we plan to continue expanding globally through partnerships with cities, wellness organisations, cultural institutions, festivals, schools, hospitality groups, and community organisations. We’re especially excited about creating more site-specific experiences that integrate music with nature and public spaces in unique ways.
At the heart of it all is a simple intention: helping people slow down, reconnect with themselves, and experience a greater sense of presence and belonging in an increasingly distracted world.”
MindTravel Live-to-Headphones: Immersive Piano Concert
- Wednesday, May 27. 7-9 p.m.
- Coolidge Park, 150 River Street. Chattanooga
- $58.89.
- mindtravel.com