Mariachi Juvenil de San Diego 

Rene Mejia - Armonía

Irineo Yañez - Guitarró

Hector "Zopy" Castro - Violin 

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Hector “Zopy” Castro was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Hector began playing violin at the age of 10. At age 12, he performed a few events with Mariachi Los Toritos de Guadalajara. In 1980, he arrived to San Diego with his family and later moved to Los Angeles, and joined the orchestra in junior high, continuing into high school. During this time, he was also enrolled in the Saturday Conservatory Program at California State University - Los Angeles.

Throughout his career, he has been a member of some of the most know mariachi groups, Mariachi Los Galleros de Pedro Rey (1985), Mariachi Cobre (1990), Mariachi Sol de México de Jose Hernández (1991), Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (1993), and Mariachi Voces de México (2005) were he is still a member. He has also performed and recorded for artist like Lola Beltran, Lucha Villa, Juan Gabriel, Vicente Fernandez, Alejandro Fernandez, Pepe Aguilar, Rocio Durcal, Luis Miguel, Pedro Fernandez, Antonio Aguilar, Miguel Aceves Mejia, Amalia Mendoza, Ana Bárbara, Graciela Beltrán, Maná, Marco Antonio Solís, Linda Ronstadt, and Lucero. 

Hector continues performing and perfecting his craft for the love and passion he has for music. It serves as inspiration to the new generation of musicians.

Intermediate Class 

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 Irineo Yañez is an accomplished musician and music educator from Los Angeles, California. At the age of 8, he began his music studies in Los Angeles Unified School District. Being from Mexican descent, both of his parents are from Jalisco, he grew up listening to mariachi music. 

In 7th grade, he started learning mariachi music at the junior high school he attended. He went on to study music at the university level and received his Bachelor’s degree in music from Cal State Northridge, where he later received his teaching credential and masters as well. For the last 12 years, he has been teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District as a music educator.

Irineo has been a member of Mariachi Los Reyes for eight years now, and has been given the opportunity to play alongside many other famous mariachi groups such as Mariachi Vargas and Mariachi Los Camperos. He has also been able to perform alongside many artists such as Alejandro Fernandez, Ramon Ayala, and several others. Yañez is very excited to be part of the 8th Annual USD Mariachi Conference for the fourth year in a row.