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Humans of Oxford: Joey Royer and Joseph Ivan: Playing the same tune

Freshmen Joey Royer and Joseph Ivan have more in common than their first names.

Joseph Ivan was homeschooled from kindergarten to 10th grade. He participated in pep band and musical theater at Miami Valley Christian Academy throughout his first two years of high school.

Joey Royer was a student at Batavia High School when Joseph enrolled there in the 11th grade. There Joey was a member of the pep, marching, jazz and concert bands.

They attended the same high school for two years, a high school that consisted of only 170 students in the graduating class of 2017.

They also participated in College Credit Plus at University of Cincinnati's Clermont campus at the same time.

They have both played the piano for thirteen years. Joey plays because he has always had a natural interest in music, and Joseph plays because his mother once forced him to, and he never stopped.

They attended the same Music Day at Miami and later both chose to make Miami University their home.

They now live in the same residence hall, on the same floor, next door to each other.

They both decided to be music majors -- one Piano Performance and one Music Education, both with specialties in piano.

They share three of the same classes: Music Theory, History of Jazz and Piano Studio.

They say they feel like they have known each other forever. But they had never met until they moved into Miami.

And one of them said, "Hi, I'm Joseph and I am from Batavia, Ohio."

And the other said, "No way!"

toolemb@miamioh.edu