It was a little taste of the arts.

The Student Instructional Program, called SIPs for short, gives all Bismarck Public School students an introduction to the fine arts. Wednesday afternoon, the Missouri River Community Band played to a full house of fifth-graders at the Belle Mehus Auditorium.

Last year, the students saw the orchestra perform and when they were in third grade they saw a dance performance.

"The program ensures that every child is exposed to the fine arts at least once a year, making it part of their life," program coordinator Marilyn Johnson said.

Students saw some of their teachers up on stage playing with the band, and learned from a trombone-playing lawyer that playing music doesn't have to end with school.

"It's pretty cool," said Jayden Gimbel, a student from Moses Elementary School.

He plays trumpet in band. A quarter to a third of the students at the concert, judging by a raise of hands, play in the band at school. Jayden's classmate, McKenna Smith plays clarinet. She liked the way the musicians played.

"They have a lot of energy," she said.

The band played a variety of pieces and in between, a different musician would talk about some of the different instruments in the band.

During each instrument presentation, the performer described what family the instrument was in, such as brass or woodwind; and demonstrated the sounds it can make.

The SIPs program is in its fifth year. It is funded by the Bismarck Public Schools Foundation.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)