Yet, before the musicians had an opportunity to pick up their bows, Clarence Dykstra, then president of the university, made an important, shocking announcement. The Nazis had invaded Belgium, home of three of the musicians. In 1965, as the UW School of Music continued to expand, a faculty woodwind quintet ensemble, the Wingra Quintet, was formed, followed two years later by the Wisconsin Brass Quintet.
Few universities can boast of the same musical accomplishments.
Like the Pro Arte, members of these two ensembles are allotted generous performance time and act as musical ambassadors for the school. Chamber music devotees from around the world would openly gasp if they knew Madisonians can regularly hear the Pro Arte for free during some Sunday afternoon concerts at the Elvehjem Museum of Art. Not until 1974 did the quartet hire its first woman. Martha Blum stepped in as second violinist and joined her husband, violist Richard Blum. She retired in '88, and after an unprecedented 34 years, he stepped down in '91.