Johannes Menke, born in Nuremberg in 1972, first studied oboe, then music education, German language and literature in Freiburg im Breisgau. He then completed a degree in music theory with Eckehard Kiem and postgraduate studies in composition with Mathias Spahlinger. In 2004, he received his doctorate from the Technical University of Berlin with a thesis on Giacinto Scelsi.

From 1999 to 2009, he taught music theory and aural training at the University of Music in Freiburg im Breisgau, while also working as a radio author, organist and choir director. Since 2007, he has been professor of historical composition at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.

From 2008 to 2012, he was president of the Society for Music Theory (GMTH). He is co-editor of the book series sinefonia (Wolke-Verlag) and the journal Musik & Ästhetik (Klett-Cotta). His numerous publications deal primarily with questions of music theory and analysis, particularly regarding history and didactics. His focus is on the music of the 16th and 17th centuries. His book publications include Kontrapunkt I: Die Musik der Renaissance (Laaber 2015) and Kontrapunkt II: Die Musik des Barock (Laaber 2017). In 2024, his monograph François Couperin und seine Zeit was published.

His work at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis includes compulsory courses (bachelor's and master's) in the field of Renaissance to Romantic music (practicals, class lessons and seminars), the major subject of early music theory, subject didactics in the major subject of music theory, history of music theory and the supervision of doctoral projects. He also travels throughout Europe giving guest lectures (in Ghent, Graz, Hanover, Berlin, Lucerne, Zagreb, Split, etc., among other places). He is also co-founder of the project series "Klangwelt Renaissance" and the "Basler Forum für Musikästhetik" (together with the Musicology and Philosophy Departments of the University of Basel).