Zelenka was born in Louňovice pod Blaníkem, Bohemia. It is a small market town southeast of Prague. He was baptized as Jan Lukas Zelenka. His first music teacher was likely his father, Jiři. His father was an organist and organist in Louňovice. He received more musical training at the Jesuit college Clementinum in Prague. He learned to play the violone (a kind of contrabass in the Baroque period). 