The Orchestras of the Elbphilharmonie and the Laeiszhalle

The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra is the resident orchestra of the Elbphilharmonie and is responsible for a large part of the concert hall’s symphonic programme.

With its extraordinary enthusiasm and artistic quality, the resident ensemble of the Elbphilharmonie Recital Hall is one of the leading chamber orchestras worldwide. Since the ensemble was founded in 1994, its highly original programmes have spanned everything from the classical to the contemporary, often revealing surprising connections in the process.

Since it was founded in 1957, the Symphoniker Hamburg has been an orchestra for the whole of Hamburg. Its home has always been the venerable Laeiszhalle, where it continues as the resident orchestra even after the opening of the Elbphilharmonie. At the Laeiszhalle, the orchestra presents a number of popular subscription series and special concerts such as silent films with live accompaniment. Sylvain Cambreling has been Principal Conductor of the Symphoniker Hamburg since 2017.

Hamburg’s oldest and busiest orchestra is the Philharmonic State Orchestra, which accompanies more than 250 opera and ballet performances each year at the State Opera House on Dammtorstrasse. It also organises the wonderful Philharmonic Concerts.

Kent Nagano has been Principal Conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the General Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera since summer 2015. He has made a name for himself as an expert on the great orchestral works of the 20th century. Nagano and his musicians can look back on a long and distinguished history: the Philharmonic opened the Laeiszhalle with a gala concert in 1908.