A pianist described as 'one of the most outstanding composers of our time' will be performing alongside children from a Jesuit prep school on 19 May in a farewell concert for the outgoing Director of Jesuit Missions in Britain.

Gwilym Simcock, who regularly features on BBC Radio and in concert performances, will be joined by pupils from Donhead Lodge, the Preparatory School of Wimbledon College, and parishioners from Sacred Heart Church in Wimbledon. Gwilym has been nominated for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize and has been acclaimed by critics as 'among the very best (pianists) in the world' in jazz and classical genres. They have described his musicianship as 'hypnotic, exhilarating grooves while performing melodic sorcery'; and some of his female fans (writing in their blog) have said he is 'young, fearsomely talented and … troublingly good-looking'. He will headline the concert at the 19th century church in South West London, as Jesuits and their associates gather to wish Father Tim Curtis SJ well, before he sets off on his new assignment in Guyana.

Fr Tim joined the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus) in 1976 and was first assigned to Guyana as a scholastic in 1983 before returning after his ordination in 1988, where he worked in the University of Guyana, Sacred Heart parish in Georgetown, the Catholic parish in Plaisance on the East Coast and with Jesuits-in-training. On returning to the UK in 1999, Fr Tim was appointed as parish priest at St Ignatius' Church in North London before taking over as the Director of Jesuit Missions (JM) in 2006. JM provides support and funds for Jesuit missionaries in Guyana, Zimbabwe and South Africa; work includes education, feeding programmes, hospitals, orphanages, community centres and - in times of drought and famine - emergency aid. Fr Tim will be returning to Guyana in the summer to work in the Interior of the country where the Catholics are of Amerindian origin.

The concert on 19 May will raise funds for Jesuit Missions and also the Jesuit Refugee Service. For more information about tickets please visit www.gbjm.org Based on information supplied by Richard Greenwood.