The New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation presented an unforgettable event celebrating vibrant music, rich culture, and the extraordinary talents of local musicians during the 2025- 2026 Cello and Piano Tour.

A captivating night that promises to leave a lasting impression.

January 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM

St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church

This special performance featured Dr. José Ottonello, a distinguished Uruguayan cellist, conductor, researcher, and educator, alongside the accomplished collaborative pianist Yin Lin, whose performances have mesmerized audiences across the U.S., China, and Europe.

The program showcased a stunning array of music, blending the timeless elegance of German classics by Brahms, the evocative beauty of Asian melodies by Prokofiev, and the vibrant, passionate rhythms of Latin American tunes by Astor Piazzolla and Paquito D’Rivera.

People commented:

“Yiu Lin and José Ottonello have undeniably forged a brilliant partnership. The synergy between them reveals a deeply emotional intensity that oozes from their rendering of the timeless classical compositions as well as jazz, tango, and many other styles.”

“Whether they played Rachmaninoff, Schuman, Barber, Rivera, Piazzolla, Marquez, or Estrada, they always presented a musical depth that offered a perfect balance between the "singing-like" quality, as defined by musicologists, of the cello, and a sensitive, yet passionate accompaniment from the piano.”

“Throughout the entire performance, their command of the technical intricacies of the instruments was in full display; thus, their control of the musical language was extraordinary.”