Dr. Enrique Lasansky is the founder of the Catalina Chamber Orchestra. He embarked on a conducting career following graduation from Swarthmore College and a Thomas Watson Fellowship in Europe. Dr. Lasansky studied conducting with Charles Bruck at the Pierre Monteux School for Advanced Conductors. He completed and M.F.A. in conducting at Carnegie-Mellon University in 1986, and worked as an assistant to composer Lucas Foss. Later he moved to Tucson, earning a D.M.A. in conducting from the University of Arizona in 1991.

Dr. Lasansky is also a professional clarinetist and has performed as a clarinetist and bass clarinetist with the Arizona Opera Company Orchestra. Dr. Lasansky resides in Tucson, where he is the choir and orchestra director at Catalina High Magnet School.