Huntington State Beach concertgoers enjoy a sunset serenade

Composer and pianist Murray Hidary brought his MindTravel tour to Huntington State Beach on Thursday night.

About 200 concertgoers were treated to Hidary’s live-to-headphones tunes, performed via a “silent” piano that could only be heard with the special headphones on.

Attendees of MindTravel’s immersive “silent” piano experience listen to Murray Hidary perform in Huntington Beach on Thursday.

(Drew A. Kelley)

Hidary performed for about 45 minutes before closing with some contemplative words along with the tunes. The theme of the concert was freedom.

Some laid down with eyes closed, some sat up, and others walked toward the water with wireless headphones attached. After the concert just south of Tower 15 was over, Hidary invited the crowd up to share what the performance meant to them.

Jackie Gaitan listens to Murray Hidary perform in Huntington Beach on Thursday night.

(Drew A. Kelley)

Hidary’s parting gift for each crowd member after sunset was a real sunflower.

“I’m doing my Ph.D. in political science, so freedom is definitely a relevant topic,” said UC Irvine graduate student Zora Mihaley, who attended with friend Mayra Salmeron. “At first, when he started to say things during [the performance], I was like, ‘Uh oh, this might be cheesy.’ But then it just clicked with me and I was just vibing.”

Murray Hidary performs during MindTravel’s “silent” piano experience in Huntington Beach on Thursday.

(Drew A. Kelley)

Hidary’s MindTravel concerts continue in Santa Monica on Saturday night and Santa Barbara on Sunday.