Review: Philip Pickett, Sinfonietta do justice to baroque

British conductor Philip Pickett, true to his twinkling, smiling photo, seems to have won over the Sinfonietta players and did the same with the audience.

Baroque historical accuracy was in evidence but not to the point of affectation.

Handel's Overture to the Occasional Oratorio presented a balance problem: the brass and winds sounded cautious and thin at the beginning, but the strings were velvety and their closing notes left the hall ringing. The oboe solo was gracefully played by Mami Fukuhara.