She graduated from the State Higher School of Music in Poznań in 1979 after studying composition under Andrzej Koszewski.
She also taught at the State Higher School of Visual Arts, Wrocław Academy of Music, and was a guest lecturer for summer courses in Poland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Belarus and Moldova.
[2] Zielińska received a number of prizes for her compositions in Poland, Yugoslavia, Germany, Switzerland and France.
She has also worked with the Eighth Day Theatre with Izabella Gustowska, Jan Berdyszak and Aleksandra Korejwo.
She has been president of the "House of World Rhythms" foundation, and is co-founder of the Brevis music editions and Monochord quarterly.