SACO — There are some students that are good at science, and some that are good at music, and then there’s Elizabeth Roy, who excels at both.
Roy, 18, will be graduating summa cum laude on Sunday from Thornton Academy. She plans to attend Skidmore College in the fall, pursuing a double major in neuroscience and viola performance.
Roy said she began playing the viola in third grade when introduced to the instrument at school. It was love at first sight.
“Normally kids choose the violin, but when the teacher demonstrated the viola I just knew. It’s been part of my life ever since,” she said.
Roy has been recognized for her musical talents, and has a strong enthusiasm for chamber music. She was selected to the 2016 All-National and Eastern Symphony Orchestra honor ensembles, and as the principal violist for the University of Southern Maine Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Roy said as part of the All-National ensemble, she got to travel to Texas. She said she’s used to being part of a small music community in Maine, and it was an amazing experience to be part of something bigger in the national and regional ensembles. Roy credits her success to Thornton Academy for all the support the school has given her.
“I couldn’t have done that without Thornton,” she said.
Roy has also performed as part of a quartet with area students through the Portland Conservatory. One of the most fun performances was playing at Otto’s Pizza in Portland, she said.
Roy’s other passion is neuroscience, and she particularly enjoyed taking classes like AP Biology where she was challenged and learned a lot. In 2017, Roy placed third in the Brain Bee, an event hosted by the Center for Excellence in the Neuroscience at the University of New England in Biddeford.
Roy said she would like to connect her two different interests. She hopes to study how music affects the brain and how music can impact health. She is excited to be entering the field of neuroscience, as, she said, there is still much to be understood about the brain and there are new discoveries to be made.
Roy said she chose Skidmore College because of its strength in both fields she wants to pursue.
Roy plans to work at Saco Bay Variety this summer, where she has worked for several years. She has already researched internship opportunities she wants to pursue the following summer.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less