About Us
El Como Y El Por que
rhythmo Mariachi Academy
Festival Beneficiary
The Anaheim Mariachi Festival is a private foundation initiated by the Zavala family of Anaheim. It’s sole mission is to raise money for the benefit of Rhythmo Mariachi Academy.
Rhythmo stands for Reaching and Helping Youth Through our Heritage and Music Organization.
Rhythmo is a 501 c3 non-profit public charity.
All proceeds of the Anaheim Mariachi Festival go to benefit the children of Rhythmo Mariachi Academy.
Your support is tax deductible!
Gabriel Zavala
Director - Founder
Gabriel Zavala hails from Acambaro, Guanajuato Mexico. Maestro, as he is known to his students, emigrated to the USA in 1964. A self-taught musician, Maestro formed Los Siete Hermanos Zavala in Anaheim, Ca. Members included all seven brothers. They enjoyed local celebrity status for about 10 years.
Maestro’s love of Mariachi music eventually lead him to form a non profit organization called: RHYTHMO MARIACHI ACADEMY. For over 20 years Maestro has taught thousands of children the ancient art of Mariachi music. Several of Rhythmo’s alumni are now playing in professional groups. The 501 c3 non profit is also responsible for a handful of splinter mariachi programs in the greater orange county area.
Out of devotion to the Cursillo movement of the Catholic church, Maestro has found a way to fuse his desire to attract the Mexican-American youth of today to the cultural heritage of their forefathers and a personal mission of evangelization and sharing his spiritual awekening.
Danny Muñoz
Festival Coordinator
Danny Muñoz previously known as “El Ausente” was born in San Miguel El Alto, in the State of Jalisco, Mexico; and from an early age he discovered his talent and attraction for music.
Since the beginning of his career, Danny Muñoz has shined like a star. This talented singer was selected by the acclaimed producer Emilio Estefan as one of the 20 finalists for the Telemundo reality show “Nuevas Voces de America” (an American Idol type competition). Recently, Danny Muñoz was the national winner of the “Música del Futbol Mexicano” contest for the Mexican top-flight soccer league for transmission in the Univision network. He won this honor with his song “Corre No Te Detengas” (Run Don’t Stop) by singer/songwriter Vicky Cabrera. With his bilingual abilities Danny was selected for comedian George Lopez’s The Lopez Tonight Party Bus Tour as an emcee.
