Zumaya was born and raised in Mexico City where he spent most of his time in service to the Church. In addition to his service as an assistant master of the chapel and choir master at Mexico City Cathedral, Zumaya was also made the choir master at Oaxaca. He taught polyphony to the choir boys and was an organist under the auspices of Salazar. Zumaya composed operas including "El Rodrigo," "La partenope," and his examination villancico "Solfa de Pedro es el llanto." He was not only the first opera composer on the North American continent but Zumaya was also the first native born cathedral master and he was the first composer with extant compositions lauding the vision of the Virgin at Guadalupe. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi