The Uilenburger concert series began in October 1996 as a posthumous tribute to dutch composer Leo Smit (Amsterdam,1900-Sobibor, 1943). The concerts were organised by the Leo Smit Foundation (Leo Smit Stichting), established by flutist Eleonore Pameijer and pianist Frans van Ruth in January 1996. Over the last twenty years, the foundation produced more then hundred and fifty concerts.

Starting in the beautiful hall of the Uilenburg Synagogue excellent musicians played the music of Leo Smit and his Dutch contemporaries like Rosy Wertheim, Nico Richter, Simon Gokkes, Bob Hanf, Daniel Belinfante, Jan van Gilse and many others. Also music by Erwin Schulhoff, Paul Kletzki, Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, Vsevolod Zaderatsky, Alexander Tansman, Szymon Laks, Pál Hermann, Jiri Kummermann, Stan Golestan and Zoltan Szekely was performed. 

Since the 2010-2011 season the concerts continued in Bethaniënklooster, then the concerts moved to Splendor Amsterdam until 2017.
The concerts focussed on forgotten but very often groundbreaking music by pre-Second World War composers. They presented a wide spectrum of traditional and new elements in twentieth century music and more recent compositions.

Nowadays musicians of the Leo Smit Foundation perform their repertoire all over the Netherlands, Germany, France and England.

Every year artistic director Eleonore Pameijer presents a programme full of surprises.

The Uilenburg Concerts have been funded by grants from the City of Amsterdam, SENA, the SNS Reaal Fund, the Iona Foundation and the Friends of the Leo Smit Foundation.

More information at www.leosmit.org