Editing Thomas Quasthoff (section)

==Early life and career==
Quasthoff was born in [[Hildesheim]] with serious [[birth defect]]s caused by his mother's exposure during pregnancy to the drug thalidomide, which was prescribed as an [[antiemetic]] to combat her [[morning sickness]].

Quasthoff was denied admission to the [[Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover]], owing to his physical inability to play the piano, rather than a lack of skill required for entry to the conservatory. In the early stages of his education as a singer, Quasthoff was promoted by [[Sebastian Peschko]].<ref>Michael Quasthoff: ''Thomas Quasthoff – Der Bariton'', Henschel Verlag, Berlin, 2006, pp. 46–47, {{ISBN|978-3-89487-545-9}}.</ref> Thus, he chose to study voice privately. He also studied law for three years.<ref>{{cite web | author=Stephen Moss | url=https://www.theguardian.com/friday_review/story/0,,384884,00.html | title='I'm lucky. Everyone can see my disability' |work=[[The Guardian]]| date=20 October 2000 | access-date=23 March 2007}}</ref> Prior to his music career, he worked for six years as a radio announcer for [[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]]. He also did voice-over work for television.<ref>{{cite web|author=Peter Conrad|author-link=Peter Conrad (academic)|url=https://www.theguardian.com/friday_review/story/0,,384884,00.html|title=More, much more than this...|work=[[The Observer]]|location=London|date=7 April 2002|access-date=23 March 2007}}</ref>