ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv sˈɛvənti tˈuː, ˌɪləstɹɪsˈɪmoʊ ɐksˈɛptᵻd hɪz fˈɜːst stˈuːdənts, æntˈoʊnɪˌoʊ dɪˈeɪɡoʊ ænd ˌɛpɪfˈænɪˌoʊ jˈuːli ɹˈoʊmoʊ.
In 1976, at the age of 72, Ilustrisimo accepted his first students, Antonio Diego and Epifanio 'Yuli' Romo.