by: Matt Powell
A packed house of conventioneers and members of the community gathered at the National Accordion Association convention in Lewisville, Texas on Thursday, March 22 to celebrate internationally renowned virtuoso Alex Meixner as he was presented with the Happy Music Ambassador recognition award.Happy Music Center president Johnny Young, together with NAA president Norman Seaton and NAA board member Sharon Seaton, presented Mr. Meixner with the Happy Music Ambassador trophy and plaque, honoring Mr. Meixner’s dedication and commitment to music, happiness and community.
“This recognition award symbolizes appreciation for those with an unwavering commitment and dedication to creating, performing, teaching, and advocating as a catalyst for positive change through the universal language of music,” said Mrs. Seaton.
Mr. Young then presented Mr. Meixner with the Happy Music Ambassador trophy. “Your unyielding dedication and passion for music have created a lasting impact, resonating not only within your community but also reaching far beyond,” said Mr. Young, “Your musical contributions have bestowed joy, positivity, and kindness upon the lives of many, serving as a poignant reminder of the transformative influence inherent in melodies and harmonies.”
The love in the room for Mr. Meixner was palpable as the enthusiastic crowd leapt to its feet.
“I am greatly appreciative of the recognition for my work in trying to share music with a positive aesthetic,” said Mr. Meixner, “Hopefully further collaboration will help spread more happy sounds with your support.”
After the presentation, Mr. Meixner took the standing room only crowd through a musical journey showcasing the many varied styles and influences that helped shape his musical vision, set against the backdrop of a powerful Texas thunderstorm brewing outside. Alternating between his custom purple Solloni piano accordion and a Munda button box, Meixer showcased his appreciation and ability to play in a wide range of styles, from a gentle cumbia, through a lively French-style waltz, a traditional polka, for which Meixner is especially known, and thoughtful interpretations of popular songs from artists ranging from Patsy Cline to Ozzy Osborne. The connecting theme throughout the set was one of happiness through music.
As the darkening tempest brewed fiercer outside the Lewisville Hilton Garden Inn, Mr. Meixner began a Gypsy tune, playing with the animated passion that has become his trademark. As the rhythmic excitement of his performance increased, he forcefully stomped his foot in time to the song just as a massive thunderclap shook the room, the lights dimmed and flickering. “Did the hotel forget to pay their electric bill?” he joked, to the enraptured audience.
Ever gracious with his time and talents, Mr. Meixner called up audience member Bruce Dunai, from the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica (SPAH), to sit in on a song that Meixner introduced as an old Croatian melody, but which the crowd knew as the country standard “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Mr. Dunai improvised a soaring melody while Meixner added gentle accompaniment. Mr. Meixner closed his set with a hopeful waltz he wrote as a wedding gift during the height of the Covid pandemic, and a poignant plea for grace and understanding in all of our encounters.
For an encore, Mr. Meixner returned to the classic accordion songbook, jamming with convention coordinator Rick Custer on a medley of standards, before closing the night with encores paying reverence to accordion legends Myron Floren and Frank Yankovic. At the conclusion of the concert, Mr. Meixner received his second standing ovation of the evening, the thunderous applause and adulation inside the room matched only by the thunder rumbling through the sky outside.
The Happy Music Ambassadors program proudly acknowledges and celebrates individuals who epitomize the spirit of happiness and inspire others through their musical pursuits. Founded in 2020, the Happy Music Center is devoted to promoting harmony, happiness, and health through the support of traditional and digital music in the genre of happy music.
Matt Powell is a writer and musician. His work explores the interconnectivity of all music and the people who create or listen. His writing has been featured in several publications, including Variety, No Depression, Emmys.com, and Angels Flight—Literary West. Learn more at www.theemattpowell.com