By MACKENZIE ROGER         

Staff Reporter

A guitar and a trumpet. Strings and air.  Two simple, distinct sounds that, in the band Corduroy, work in literal harmony.

Since Christina Droscha’s freshman year, she has musically collaborated with then OU sophomore Lauren Donnay. One year ago, the two formed a duo called Corduroy.

Droscha’s mother stressed the importance of a musical background for both Droscha and her two sisters. Both siblings played the piano, but Droscha — in an effort to branch out — took up guitar at age 5, and hasn’t looked back.

“It was important to my mom that we all did something musical,” she said.

The two are looking into recording a CD by the end of the semester, possibly through Terry Herald, sound technician and technical coordinator of OU’s music, theatre and dance department.

For right now though, Corduroy live their daily lives as normally as possible, performing at small, intimate open-mic nights throughout the state.

Throughout high school, Droscha combined her love of music with athletic and academic pursuits, playing both soccer and basketball, while also participating in the National Honor Society. Despite her involvement, Droscha still found it difficult to make close friends.

“Most of the friends I had in high school were through those activities,” she said. “I couldn’t really talk to them about stuff … it was a very shallow environment.”                            

Following her high school graduation, Droscha came to OU and had a difficult first year.

“My freshman year was hard, not being near family and having to find something else,” she said

In an effort to find that “something else,” Droscha turned to music, and found a close friend in Donnay. The two have known each other for three years and counting, and last year chose to call themselves Corduroy.

“We picked the name because … it symbolized comfort for both of us,” said Donnay. Droscha plays guitar and does lead vocals, and Donnay plays the trumpet and gyil, an African percussion instrument.

For the duo, inspiration comes in the name of Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, who serves as a muse for both Donnay and Droscha.

“Ani is a very aggressive guitar player,” said Donnay. “Her style is very similar to Christina’s.”

“[Donnay’s] musical style is very improvisatory, and similar to [the band] Umphrey McGee’s style,” said Droscha of Donnay”s trumpet playing.

Currently, Droscha is a junior and a resident assistant on the fourth floor in West Vandenberg. In her leadership role, she tries to give to other students what she lacked her freshman year.

“I wanted to be an RA because I really like being a part of a community away from home,” Droscha said.

Next year, Droscha will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies. She hopes to be accepted into a trade school and, ultimately, become a carpenter. Last December, Donnay graduated with a degree in music education for K-12. They are also looking into moving out of Michigan within the next several years.

Neither Droscha nor Donnay plan to give up on music.

“We really just love doing music,” said Droscha. “We don’t want to lose our passion … by pushing too hard.”

Corduroy perform weekly at the Word of Mouth open-mic night in the Fishy Lounge of West Vandenberg, including Wednesday, March 4 at 9:30 p.m.