Hands in the air, fingers wiggling, the third graders at Southgate Elementary School were doing a lot more than what looked like stretching exercises.

Well, not in the traditional sense, anyway. You could say they were stretching their music listening skills, making motions with their hands when they heard a single medley being played by the cello and violin.

Then, they heard, a medley with accompaniment and their hands shot up again. Then, they heard pieces of music mixed in for a jazzed up sound.

Up and down went their hands, kids straining to hear the changes in music.

“Awesome!” exclaimed Olivia Diercks, holding her cello close.

Diercks is the “O” to Karla Dietmeyer’s “K” to create the “OK Factor,” a musical duo visiting the school on Friday.

While they are making a name for themselves musically — they have performed on Prairie Home Companion and for the 5Point Film Festival in Colorado — the duo on Friday was in town to inspire and inject the love of music to Southgate kids.

They came as members of Minnesota Public Radio’s Class Notes Artists. Those selected to the honor travel to selected schools, free of charge, to present their talents to students. Former Southgate music instructor, Margo Bissen, was instrumental in making Southgate one of the selections.

Principal Edwina Harder said the children not only learned skills at identifying certain changes in music, “some of these children may not have the opportunity to go to  live concert. It is so interesting to hear their stories; Olivia told the story of hearing a cellist when she was four years old and that inspired her to be a cellist. These are the kinds of events children will remember from school.”