The Voice: A Memoir

The Voice is the memoir of one of the most sought after and admired classical singers in the world - a man who has arrived at the summit of his artistry by overcoming extraordinarily daunting odds.
What shines through Quasthoff's astonishing story is his staunch refusal to wallow in self-pity, to see himself as a victim. Whether he is evoking a harrowing childhood marked by multiple agonizing surgeries, relating folksy family anecdotes, expressing his devotion to his students as a professor of voice, expounding on his love of jazz and American popular music (he is a great admirer of Stevie Wonder), or unburdening himself of his wickedly outspoken views on art and disability, Quasthoff's unerring sense of humanity, boisterous conviviality, and fierce honesty are always on display.

Thomas Quasthoff was born in 1959 in Hildesheim, Germany. In 1988 he won first prize as the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich, which launched his career. He has performed with the world's most distinguished orchestras and conductors (including Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle). He has won three Grammy Awards: for best classical Vocal Performance in 2000, for his Bach cantatas and Schubert lieder in 2004, and for Best Choral Performance in 2008 for Brahms's Ein Duetsches Requiem. Quasthoff is a professor at the Hans Eisler School of Music in Berlin. He performs and records throughout the world.