"the times" later wrote of barbirolli's first actions for the orchestra: "in a couple of months of endless auditions, he rebuilt the hallé, accepting any good player, whatever his musical background – he found himself with a schoolboy first flute, a schoolmistress hornist, and various brass players recruited from brass and military bands in the manchester area ... the reborn hallé's first concert somehow lived up to the hallé's great reputation." "the musical times" also noted, "from his earliest days with the orchestra it was the string tone that commanded immediate attention and respect. there was a fiery intensity and glowing warmth that proclaimed the born string coach". barbirolli retained his reputation for training orchestras: after his death, one of his former players commented, "if you wanted orchestral experience you'd be set for life, starting in the hallé with john barbirolli." further afield, critics, audiences and players in europe and the united states commented on the improvement in the playing of their orchestras when barbirolli was in charge. later he extended his teaching skills to the royal academy of music, where he took charge of the student orchestra from 1961.