Research has shown that listening to and playing music has many positive effects, ranging from helping to relieve depression to reducing blood pressure and heart rate. Not only does it help improve physical pain, but it can also help those dealing with emotional pain or trauma.

After finding that music helped him heal after the death of his sister, composer and pianist Murray Hidary created MindTravel—an experiential music company that presents unique and immersive music experiences across the United States in a variety of settings, which range from beaches and parks to museums and cathedrals.

Since 2014, MindTravel has helped thousands of people heal and connect via its signature Live-to-Headphones ‘Silent’ Piano, SilentHike and Floating Meditation experiences, which take place throughout the year and lead attendees on a magical journey surrounded by inspiring beauty, nature and art. For each experience, participants meet at a designated spot where they receive headphones to wear for the duration of the hike or walk. Hidary guides the experience, leading them along trails and paths while the MindTravel music plays.

On Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, MindTravel is hosting a Silent Piano Concert in Los Angeles with custom 360-visuals and intention setting. Click here to purchase tickets. In 2020, in addition to its signature live-to-headphones experiences, MindTravel is embarking on a 70-city MindTravel SilentHike tour across North America.

We spoke with Hidary, who shared the inspiration behind MindTravel, what one can expect from an experience, the numerous benefits, and much more.

What is MindTravel and what inspired its creation?

MindTravel is an experiential music company focused on creating meaningful, immersive experiences that move people to purpose. We craft our signature Live-to-Headphones ‘Silent’ Piano, SilentHike and Floating Meditation + Underwater Concerts throughout the year on gorgeous beaches, in beautiful parks such as Central Park in New York City, and in iconic spaces such as the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. 

At its core, MindTravel creates the space and permission to feel and connect. It is an exploration of the notion that bringing the lessons of music into our daily lives can radically improve our clarity, our ability to reflect and relax, and that with music as our teacher—we can peel back layers of our self yet unseen.

MindTravel’s inception stemmed from my own desire for self-connection. At the time, I was exploring music and its larger impact on my grieving process after the death of my younger sister.  After she died, I thought to myself, “How do I deal with this emotional, physical and spiritual trauma?” Music provided me with an incredible outlet to express and deal with my complicated and multidimensional emotions in a powerful and healing way. I was determined to transform my pain into beauty and help make a difference for others as well. 

The result was MindTravel. My goal with MindTravel is to create the space for people to have a powerful journey, which is at once evocative and reflective, healing and transcendent. MindTravel brings together my passions for contemporary classical music, visual art, theoretical physics and wisdom traditions. They are the four pillars of an integrated experience that seeks to explore an understanding of the universe at both the visible and hidden levels.

When was MindTravel founded?

The first MindTravel experience was in 2013 when I invited 50 friends to my home in Los Angeles for a live-piano journey in my living room. The response was overwhelmingly positive and since then, I have created more than 500 MindTravel experiences for over 100,000 people in cities from Los Angeles to London, Paris to Pittsburgh, Berlin to Boulder—in venues such as Lincoln Center, The Theater at the Ace Hotel, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The National Arts Club.

What’s a MindTravel experience like?

Whether it’s for 100 people or 1,000 people, this magical experience takes audiences on a profound journey. As a composer and pianist, I create real-time compositions that are beamed directly into the MindTravel wireless headphones that participants wear. It’s a perfect way to take in the beauty of nature, while also experiencing a musical revelation spontaneously improvised, infused with wisdom traditions, theoretical physics and the power of communal elevation.

MindTravel experiences can last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the situation. Each experience is customized and varies based on the location, but can include anything from a walk through a museum, a stroll through botanical gardens, or a hike up a mountain to watch the sun as it disappears below the horizon.

Is each MindTravel experience totally different?

MindTravel experiences can differ based on location and venue. That is, we might have an Underwater Floating Meditation in one city and a SilentHike in another. However, the experience has the same intention—to move people to greater purpose in their lives through music. Like a river, the music is never the same twice, given that each live performance is extemporaneous and is intended to reflect the ever-changing, ephemeral moment. 

What have been some of the most memorable MindTravel experiences so far?

All the events are special as they take place in exceptional natural, historical and iconic locations, each with a different group of attendees that make every event take on a unique life of its own. However, one of the most memorable experiences happened last summer at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Near the end of the MindTravel session, one of our attendees decided to take the opportunity to propose to her girlfriend. Knowing that the MindTravel experience was so meaningful to them (enough to make it the setting of their engagement and part of their love story) filled me with such joy.

In another moment, I was asked to create a MindTravel experience as a memorial dedication for a woman—a wife and mother of two—who had died too young and unexpectedly. By using the power of music, MindTravel can hold the space for people to feel love deeply during the most joy filled moments, the most painful moments, and everything in-between. 

What are the benefits of a MindTravel experience?

MindTravel creates the space for people to reflect and contemplate. It’s an exercise in exploring and being present with the evolving world—not retreating from it. And although its benefits are largely individual, it’s a shared rather than solitary experience. Intimacy and collective togetherness. 

What will attendees love about MindTravel?

Attendees will love the interaction that they have with their surroundings, the music, and ultimately within themselves. You don’t just sit and listen, you move and experience! The musical performances are a fusion of contemporary and classical styles, and contain a highly original expression of the post-minimalist avant garde, presented to audiences in concert halls, beaches, parks, and beyond. 

For more information and to find an upcoming MindTravel event near you, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @mindtravelmusic @murrayhidary

[Images courtesy of MindTravel]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk