Bohemian composer. He may have attended the Jesuit college Clementinum in Prague before serving Count Hartig in that city (1709-10). From 1710 he played double bass in the royal orchestra at Dresden. On his way to Italy in 1715, he studied with J. J. Fux in Vienna and A. Lotti in Venice. After a few years in Venice (1717-19) he returned to Dresden, where he stayed for the rest of his life; in 1735 he became Kirchen-compositeur. His compositions include Masses, oratorios, cantatas, motets, other sacred vocal works, six trio sonatas, and various orchestral works.
Zelenka is a greatly under-appreciated composer.