The Hong Kong Sinfonietta may not be a top-tier ensemble, but with a good conductor and a well-designed programme, it can still put on a good show. Which is what happened last night when British conductor Paul Goodwin led the group - slimmed down to the size of a Baroque-chamber orchestra - in a performance of two of Bach's most popular works, plus some Henry Purcell pieces and an entertaining contemporary composition. The concert started with the King Arthur Suite, a selection of passages from Purcell's semi-opera King Arthur. The Sinfonietta played in the style of Baroque, alternating between brisk articulation and smooth legato phrasing. Next came Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin, with soloists Danny Yau Ka-kei (on the oboe) and Elizabeth Lo Ka-yi (on the violin), both principal players of the Sinfonietta. While Yau and Lo played with energy, they sometimes rushed ahead of the orchestra. Yau's tone was firm but plain, while Lo played more than a few wrong notes and was occasionally unable to grasp the general pulse of the orchestra - which played agreeably under Goodwin. Contemporary British composer David Bedford's Like a Strand of Scarlet opened the second half. It was a clever and enjoyable piece with musical fragments coming together to form lyrical phrases. The concert ended with Bach's Suite No3, which was mostly graceful and vivacious, if not punctured by violin-intonation flaws.