Johannes D. Schendel was born 1975 in the south of Germany in Kaufbeuren. He studied singing at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt/Main with Michael Schopper. He specialized in Lied with Pianist Charles Spencer, Oratorio with Rolf Reinhardt and was admitted into the chamber-music-class of Rainer Hoffmann.

In 2001 he took part at the German Music Competition of German Music Council were he won a scholarship for the selection »young artists concerts« together with his pianist Hilko Dumno, followed by a tour of 28 Lied-Recitals all over Germany. In summer 2003 he graduated »summa cum laude« in concert singing. One year later he became Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Singing Competition 2004 in Brussels.

He taught singing majors at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Frankfurt before he became a permanent member of the RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin, where he also frequently performs as a soloist. He also was a member of the World Youth Choir.

Schendel was engaged at the Telemann-Festival Magdeburg, at the Frankfurt Chamber Opera, at the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Steirischer Herbst in Graz, and at the Lincoln Centre Festival in New York, with Salvatore Sciarrinos „Macbeth“. Schendel sang as a soloist under conductors such as René Jacobs, Sylvain Cambreling, Sigiswald Kuijken, Lothar Zagrosek, and Robin Ticciati.