What is Thomas Quasthoff?
[[File:Thomas Quasthoff 2010.jpg|thumb|Thomas Quasthoff]] '''Thomas Quasthoff''' (born [[Hildesheim]], [[Germany]], 9 November 1959) is a [[Germany|German]] [[bass-baritone]]. He is thought of as one of the best singers of today. It was not easy for him to get a good musical education because of his [[Human body|physical]] [[disability]]. However, he has became one of the world’s finest singers of German song ([[Lieder]]) and he also sings a wide variety of styles including [[Baroque music]], [[opera]] and [[jazz]]. ==Life== Quasthoff was born in [[Hildesheim]], [[Germany]]. His mother had been taking the drug [[thalidomide]] during the [[pregnancy]] and this resulted in Thomas being born with physical handicaps. He has flipper-like hands and no arms, and he has very short legs. Quasthoff wanted to study music at the [[conservatory]], but he was not allowed to do so because there was a rule that every music student had to play the piano. It was impossible for Quasthoff to play an instrument because of his disability. Quasthoff decided to study singing privately. After he had graduated from school he went to university to study [[law]]. He did not enjoy the subject, and after studying for three years he chose music as a career. At first he worked as a radio [[announcer]]. He got some experience in singing [[oratorio]]. Then, in 1988, he won the ARD International Music Competition in [[Munich]]. Many people, including [[Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau]], were very impressed with his singing. He became known as a [[Lieder]] singer. He first sang in [[America]] in 1995. He won many awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance in 2000. It was for his performance together with the mezzo-soprano [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] of [[Gustav Mahler|Mahler]]’s [[Des Knaben Wunderhorn]]. They were accompanied by the [[Berlin Philharmonic]] conducted by [[Claudio Abbado]]. He won prizes for his singing of songs by [[Schubert]], [[Brahms]] and [[Liszt]], and [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]] [[C