Born in Carpi in 1975, Elena Cattini earned a diploma in Piano in 1998 at the local Institute "A.Tonelli", where her Composition studies began with Giuseppe Calì. Later on, they continued with Paolo Aralla at Conservatorio "G.B.Martini" in Bologna. Here she graduated in Composition and Electronic Music.

She holds a degree and a PhD in Contemporary Art History. She participated in further training courses given by composers Francesco Carluccio, Adriano Guarnieri, Claudio Scannavini, Franco Piersanti, and , as a composer of choral and instrumental music, received many acknowledgements (among them "Poesie in musica", Cesenatico; "Simone Ciani", Siena; "Musica e arte", Roma; "Premio Zucchelli", Bologna; "Compositori a confronto", Reggio Emilia; 3rd International Biennial of Contemporary music, Koper, Slovenia; "Le note ritrovate", Avellino; BASS2018LUCCA; Dante Moro award, Falcade; Bondì cara Venezia, Venice).

As a pianist and organist, she plays regularly in chamber music ensemble and works as piano accompanist with singers and choirs. She has taught courses in didactics of music, harmony, analysis, composition and piano at Università degli Studi di Firenze, Università M. Gasparini Casari di Carpi, UTE Modena, Liceo Musicale Sigonio di Modena and Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali Peri-Merulo di Reggio Emilia e Castelnovo Monti.

At present, she is Ear training professor at Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali Vecchi-Tonelli di Modena e Carpi.