CHOIR members from York are to perform a concert in Finnish to an international audience.

Enkelit, which means “angels” in Finnish, compromises choristers from all over the north-east who perform contemporary music from Finland, despite none of them speaking Finnish as their native tongue.

Caroline Lewis, who runs a delicatessen on Bishopthorpe Road, will travel with Clare Wardman and Louise Diver from York to the Tampere Vocal Festival in Finland, where they will compete against other Finnish-singing choirs and watch groups from all over Europe.

Richard Pomfret, the group’s director and founder, said: “Taking an English choir to Finland to sing in Finnish may seem a coals to Newcastle sort of thing to do, but we regard it as a homage.”

Enkelit was formed in 2003 and now meets and practises in the recently refurbished Clements Hall in York.