With the arrival of the second Abbot, Dom Fulgentius Torres, in 1901, monastic life at New Norcia took on a more settled and traditional style. He fostered the arts and was particularly interested in encouraging music. At his instruction some of the monks formed a string quintet which soon grew into a small orchestra. The orchestra gave its first public performance at Mass on the Feast of the Assumption in 1909. For a number of years afterwards it played regularly at ceremonies in the Abbey Church.