The composer and organist Zdeněk Pololáník graduated from the Brno Conservatory in the organ class of Josef Černocký 1952-57, initially studied composition privately with František Suchý, then at the Janacek's Academy of Music Arts with Vilem Petrželka and Theodor Schaefer (1957-61). While studying at the conservatory, he already showed himself to be an extraordinary talent, combining a rich, generous and distinctive musical invention with extremely ripe and dazzling compositional technique and refined way of instrumentation. His compositional ability Pololáník had also improved by studying of numerous recordings, scores and particularly by the creative solutions to the original tasks, which he had imposed upon himself. In 1960s he was a member of avant-garde group of composers in Brno "Group A", and was one of the pioneers in the field of electronic music in the former Czechoslovakia. By the time he was only thirty, Pololanik had numerous performances of his works to his credit in many countries around the world (in the whole of Europe including Great Britain and the USSR, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, etc.), radio and gramophone recordings and printed edition of his works by both domestic and foreign publishers. The list of musicians who performed Pololáník's works features a whole range of names of outstanding conductors and soloists.
Zdenek Pololáník's compositional output can be divided into three main areas: The first one includes concertos for various solo instruments and musical dramas, the second church music and third area comprises a lot of film scores, and a great number of incidental music for the theatre, radio and television. Autonomous musical works include up to 280 titles. As for his spiritually oriented music, some compositions are written on biblical texts, many are intended for worship. Somewhat different, primarily by its special social function, is the music of the third area: 400 film scores, incidental music, television and radio plays - the result of collaboration with 45 directors or choreographers. Pololáník was a freelance composer from the beginning of his career, so he had to accept a lot of various commissions, gradually, however, a number of serious and successful scores originated even among his music for literary and dramatic genres, from which the path led to the creation of demanding and autonomous musical works. His music met with considerable success even in the former Soviet Union. It can be said that Pololáník had acted as an informal mediator between the Czech musical avant-garde and that of Soviet. Although there was no enthusiasm for communist policies, in the music magazine Hudebni rozhledy there had been issued an interview with Alena Němcová "Zdenek Pololáník about his Soviet friends ...". Composer Pavel Smutný wrote on 6th April 1997 in a letter to Bohumil Smejkal about his teacher Zdeněk Pololáník: "Although Pololanik was in official disfavor from the beginning of so called policy of normalization (since early seventies) up to 1989, he had unflinchingly defended his individual and moral position and he hadn't feared even in the worst years to write sacred works and act as the organist and choirmaster at the church in Ostrovačice. He had never collaborated with the communist regime and his strong Christian faith-based moral authority had set an example for his colleagues and acquaintances in those difficult times. His highly developed moral sense prevented him - be it before November 1989 or after the date - from being overly concentrated on his career, fame and material benefits ... "
Pololáník's music is characteristic not only for a rich diversity of genres, liking for unconventional grouping of instruments, unusual artistic concepts, but also for remarkable stylish diversity of his music yet still bearing some common characteristics of the individual composer‘s constant expression. Although Pololanik was in the sixties at the forefront of musical innovative efforts in his country, he instinctively kept his distance from exaggeratedly rational compositional methods of the then avant-garde movement. He didn't indulge in drastic sounds, nor in chronic inclination to depressive moods and other fashionable vices. The basic message of hope and brightness is the core of the most of Pololanik's works, and that is undoubtedly the main cause of his popularity even with a wider audience. Most recently he has finished his new full-length opera after Paul Claudel, the title of which has its special connotation to the typically spiritual attitude of the composer (The Night Full of Light).
Zdeněk Pololáník lives with his wife Jarmila, born Linkova, in Ostrovačice near Brno, where he is employed as a choir director and organist. In the years 1990 - 1994 he was also the organist of St Peter and Paul Church in Brno. As for Pololanik's pedagogical activity, since his student's years he had been giving lessons and consultations. At the invitation of the then rector of the Janacek Academy of Music Pololanik had been teaching between 1990 - 1995 the subjects of sacred music, incidental and film music, and founded there the first Cabinet of Sacred Music in the former Czechoslovakia.

For his compositional work Zdeněk Pololáník has been rewarded several awards in the competitions of liturgical music, he was awarded a honorary citizen of the Town of Ostrovačice (1998), the Order of St. Cyril and Methodius by Czech Bishops Conference (2001) and the price of Southern Moravia (2005). The Zdeňek Pololáník International Organ Festival has been held every year since 2005 in Česká Třebová.
The successors to the family musical tradition of Zdeněk Pololáník are his daughter, Jana Kubová-Pololáníková (organist) and his son, conductor, arranger and composer Petr Pololáník.