mmett R. Sarig took over the famed Wisconsin Band in the fall of 1948. Sarig arrived on campus two weeks before the fall season was to begin and faced an eight-game home football schedule. Augmenting well-established traditions of the Wisconsin Band, Sarig added his own innovations to the half-time shows, including using two drum Majors and splitting the band into two groups to perform for the "forgotten people" in the end zones. Fanfare (Herald) Trumpets were also featured more.

Many people at the University and in the Band doubted Ray Dvorak would ever return. After two years of rehabilitation and learning to live with pain, Ray Dvorak returned as Director of Bands in the fall of 1950 with all the energy and efficiency of the pre-accident Dvorak.

The structure of the band under Dvorak was the Concert Band, which he conducted, and two "other" bands, the 1st and 2nd Regimental Bands, which were also known as the "Badger" and "Cardinal" Bands. The Regimental Bands were conducted by assistants while the Marching Band was under Ray's direction with the help of teaching assistants, though there was no doubt about who was in charge.

Ray Dvorak greatly increased the visibility of all bands at the University of Wisconsin. The Concert Band toured the state quite a bit and the football bands became even more innovative as television became a factor. Nationally renowned sportscaster Bill Stern was quoted after a game in 1954 as saying "This band show was the best I've seen in these two years of NCAA telecasts." He proved his point by canceling two interviews between halves in order to telecast more of the band's performance. Dvorak's Marching Bands were able to perform at three Rose Bowls in 1953, 1960 and 1963. This only added to the legacy of the Band as they received accolades wherever they performed.

Ray Dvorak's reign as Director of Bands lasted a third of a century. He began in the Great Depression, went through two wars and a life-threatening accident; but through it all, Dvorak the band director, teacher, composer/arranger, author, song leader, humorist (see Dvorakisms) and humanitarian, led the UW Band program to new heights of accomplishments and exceptional recognition.

Could Dvorak ever be replaced? Well, a gentleman from Indiana was to get his chance ...