Johann Joachim Quantz (Oberscheden, Lower Saxony, January 30, 1697 - Potsdam, July 12, 1773), was a German composer and flute player, as well as a flute teacher to King Frederick II of Prussia.

He began to demonstrate his musical talent at an early age. At age 8 he played double bass at local festivals. In 1708, when his father, a blacksmith by profession, died, he went to live with his uncle Justus Quantz, member of the orchestra of the city of Merseburg, with whom he began his musical studies. At the death of his uncle, his son-in-law, Johann Adolf Fleischhack took Quantz as his pupil. When finishing his studies he knew how to play the main string instruments and all the usual wind instruments, with the exception of the transverse flute.

In March 1716, he joined the municipal orchestra of Dresden, a year later travels to Vienna where he studied composition with Jan Dismas Zelenka and Johann Joseph Fux. In 1718 he was appointed oboist in the Polish chapel of Augustus II in Warsaw. He specialized in the study of the flute under the direction of Pierre Buffardin.

He studied counterpoint in Rome with Francesco Gasparini and during his travels in Europe he personally met Scarlatti and Händel.