From concertos to classrooms: Troy Slack is always a top performer

Just as he gets to be in “the room where everything happens” during his internship at The Spokesman-Review, Troy Slack has been behind the scenes before.

When the famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed in Spokane with the Spokane Symphony in September, Slack was able to watch the dress rehearsal and meet Ma in person.

Slack was determined to get as close to the cellist as he could.

“I pushed my way up through the crowd and got to talk to him directly. I got to ask him a few questions. It was really cool.”{/div}

Slack’s dedication paid off in that moment, and it has continued to do so as he’s applied it to other aspects of his life.

When he was 10, Slack won his first piano competition. Since then, he’s won two more music competitions: one for piano and one for playing the cello.

Now, Slack plays cello in the Spokane Youth Symphony. He’s been a member for two years and plans on continuing until he graduates high school.

Slack has put countless hours into the symphony.{

“Practicing your instrument every day to be able to play in those settings – it takes a lot of discipline.”

Slack feels this effort is well worth it.

“It’s such a special experience… I think that’s great that music can bring people together.”

Some of Slack’s other hobbies are chess, kayaking, canoeing, hiking and golf. He enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family

“My dad always loves golfing with me, that’s a lot of fun and it’s always a good time,” he said.

Slack is 16 and has lived in Liberty Lake all his life. In the fall, he’ll be a Junior at Ridgeline high school, where he’ll be taking five AP classes. Last school year, he took two and passed both with flying colors.

“It’ll look good for college,” Slack said. “And I’m motivated to push myself.”

Prestigious colleges like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale are on Slack’s list . He plans on studying law, finance or business.

Though Slack doesn’t intend on going into journalism, he said, “understanding our community, and being more civically engaged is important.”

Hessler can be reached at Hessler@spokesman.com.