Located in the Harbiye neighbourhood of Istanbul, the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall was constructed in the late 1980s and opened March 1989 as the first concert hall in Turkey to be designed specifically for classical music. The concert hall was named after one of Turkey’s leading composers, Cemal Reşit Rey, who died in 1985 and hence did not live to see the opening of the concert hall. Today this is one of the most important concert halls in the country and, as well as hosting classical music concerts, ballets and dance performances take place every year during the October to May season. Although a relatively new venue, the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall benefitted from a major overhaul in 2007, improving the auditorium design and acoustics as well as the stage and foyer. The concert hall has a seating capacity of 860 people and serves as the home of the CRR Istanbul Symphony Orchestra.