The Symphoniker Hamburg (Hamburg Symphony Orchestra) is a German orchestra based in Hamburg, Germany. Founded in 1957, it is one of the city's three largest orchestras. The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra is the orchestra in residence in the Laeiszhalle, the Hamburg Music Hall. The Hamburg Symphony regularly plays some twenty operas and ballets each season at the Hamburg State Opera House. The orchestra also offers subscription series of children’s concerts, and annual open-air concerts held in the central courtyard of Hamburg’s town hall. 　　The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert on 16 October 1957 under the direction of its first chief conductor, Robert Heger. Heger served in the post until 1961. His successors included Carlos Kalmar (1987-1991), Miguel Gómez-Martinez (1992-1999), and Yoav Talmi (2000-2004). Principal guest conductors have included István Kertész. Andrey Boreyko was principal conductor from 2004 until his sudden resignation in the autumn of 2007. 　　The orchestra's most recent chief condutor was Jeffrey Tate, who was appointed to the post in October 2007 and took up the post in the spring of 2008. In February 2014, the orchestra announced the extension of Tate's contract as chief conductor through 2019.Tate held the Hamburg chief conductorship until his death on 2 June 2017. 　　Recordings with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra have appeared on Dabringshaus und Grimm, edel classics and Deutsche Grammophon (Deutscher Schallplattenpreis ECHO Klassik).