Olja Jelaska (1967, Split, Croatia), graduated music theory at the Zagreb Academy of Music in 1992 in the class of Željko Brkanović and composition in the class of Marko Ruždjak in 1994. She graduated with a chamber mini-opera entitled Chamber Trio . This work was first performed in 1997. at the Croatian National Theatre in Split, preceding the performance at the Music Biennale in Zagreb in the same year.
In 1993. she received the Rector s Award of Zagreb University for the compositon Acquerello for woodwind quintet, as well as the Croatian Music Institute Award in 1994.
She pursued further studies at seminars on contemporary music in Bialystok ( Poland ) in 1995. and in Darmstadt (Germany) in 1996. She has also participated in the activities of the Mediterranean academies of music in Damascus ( Syria ).
Since 1997 she has been teaching at the Arts Academy in Split.
Her works have been performed in Croatia ( Zagreb Music Biennale, International Music Festival in Pula, Osor Musical Evenings) , Slovenia, Portugal ,Italy , USA and in other countries. Most of her compostion belong to the chamber music, but she also composed some works for orchestra.
Media Press inc. from Chicago published her work Duo for Flute and Vibraphone in 2007.
Her composition Butterflies for string quartet, flute, bassoon and clarinet won the 2006. Josip Štolcer Slavenski Award given by the Vjesnik daily as the best work premiered in the 2005. . This piece was premiered on 21 November 2005 by the Cantus Ensemble under the baton of Berislav Šipuš as part of the cycle Cities of Music organized by the European Broadcasting Union with Zagreb playing the host of the evening.