Key Moments
Not Despite—Because | John Pasquale | TEDxUofM
TEDKey Moments
University professors told a student with a stutter he would be a failure and should change his major, but he became the Director of Michigan's marching band, proving his success was *because* of his impediment, not despite it.
Key Insights
John Pasquale began speech therapy at a young age, where he was forced to practice speaking the 'rainbow passage' and make phone calls asking for 'shrimp,' which he still finds triggering.
Despite being told by university professors that he would be a 'failure as a teacher' due to his speech impediment, Pasquale was hired as the Director of the Michigan marching band.
Pasquale highlights that his students at Griffin Middle School were 'unbelievably supportive' of his speech impediment, which helped him rebuild his confidence after his negative university experience.
Pasquale completed his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Oklahoma in an accelerated timeframe, with his doctorate coursework, exams, recital, and dissertation taking only one year and ten months.
The University of Michigan hired Pasquale, a prominent institution, even though he stutters and despite the earlier negative prognosis from his undergraduate professors.
Pasquale asserts that success is not 'despite your flaw' but 'because of it,' urging listeners to change their perspective and not let perceived flaws define them.
The childhood dream of teaching and the dawning realization of a speech impediment
John Pasquale harbored a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, meticulously planning his future by playing 'teacher' with his childhood stuffed animals. He recalls setting up imaginary classrooms, even humorously noting that his stuffed students consistently failed his assignments. This early passion for education seemed straightforward until he began first grade. While he initially found school exciting, attending a 'special room' for activities like finger painting and games was a secret he didn't fully grasp until later. This special room was, in fact, the special education room, and his placement there was due to a severe speech impediment. What he didn't notice with inanimate objects became a significant hurdle in real social interactions, requiring intense mental effort to construct every syllable, word, and sentence, often making it feel easier not to speak at all.
The torment of speech therapy and discouraging early experiences
Pasquale's childhood was marked by brutal and exhausting speech therapy sessions. He describes the infamous 'rainbow passage,' a text containing every sound in the English language, as 'devilry' and 'Satan,' likening the experience of reading it without safety gear to climbing Mount Everest. Another deeply triggering exercise involved calling a grocery store, the Piggly Wiggly, to ask for 'shrimp.' The sheer effort and anxiety associated with these simple communication tasks were immense. He observed his friends playing outside while he was undergoing this intensive therapy, a stark contrast that fueled his feelings of being different and began to make him retreat socially. His parents and therapists recognized he was starting to 'implode,' pushing him through these difficult exercises precisely because they understood the risk of him withdrawing.
Music as an escape and a turning point
The world of music became a profound sanctuary and a catalyst for change for Pasquale. He discovered band, initially playing the trumpet and later switching to the tuba, which he fondly calls 'God's instrument.' Band provided an environment where he could express himself and connect with others without the constant pressure of verbal communication. The social aspects of music were a revelation, offering a sense of belonging and allowing him to thrive. This musical immersion fundamentally altered his trajectory, setting the stage for his future aspirations. He later experienced a pivotal moment during his junior year of high school while listening to a performance of Vincent Persichetti's music. This profound experience solidified his desire not just to play music, but to teach it, specifically as a band director.
A devastating rejection from university professors
Pasquale's excitement for pursuing music education at the undergraduate level was met with a shocking and disheartening confrontation. Called into a meeting with university administrators, department chairs, and even a university attorney, he was blindsided. They informed him that he would be a 'failure as a teacher because of your speech impediment' and recommended he change his major. This pronouncement shattered his world, as teaching was his lifelong ambition. He felt embarrassed, angry, and profoundly disrespected by the very people he revered. Despite his internal turmoil, he managed to respond with a humble 'Thank you for your opinion,' but resolved to prove them wrong.
Finding support and success in middle school
Following the discouraging university experience, Pasquale took his first teaching job at Griffin Middle School at the age of 22. Despite his initial nervousness about being only a few years older than his students, he discovered an incredibly supportive environment. He found that his students were 'unbelievably supportive of my speech impediment,' which was instrumental in rebuilding his shattered confidence. He also realized he was 'pretty damn good at teaching band,' feeling that he 'just fit in' with the energetic and often awkward 11-14 year olds. This positive experience contrasted sharply with his previous academic rejection and reignited his passion for teaching.
Accelerated pursuit of higher degrees and a bold ambition
Driven by a desire for better salary, Pasquale returned to academia, first at the University of Oklahoma for his master's and doctorate degrees. He pursued conducting as his specialization, enduring an intense period that saw him complete his doctorate in an astonishing one year and ten months, a feat he believes might have caused anyone to stutter if they didn't already. During his final semester, his major professor, Professor Wakefield, inquired about his job applications. When Pasquale mentioned applications in Georgia and Illinois, Wakefield insisted he was forgetting a crucial one: the University of Michigan. Pasquale initially dismissed this as unrealistic given Michigan's status as a top-tier institution with the premier band program in the world, but Wakefield's insistence led him to apply.
Achieving the pinnacle: Director of the Michigan Marching Band
Against all odds and defying the predictions of his undergraduate professors, John Pasquale was hired at the University of Michigan at the age of 29. He began as the associate director and, five years later, became the 15th director of the marching and athletic bands, also earning the title of Donald R. Shepard Professor of Conducting. Michigan hired him 'even though I stuttered,' a testament to his talent and resilience. He now leads one of the most renowned band programs globally, teaching brilliant and caring students. He finds immense joy in directly interacting with the students, recalling the simple passion of his childhood self who 'didn't know the anger, the embarrassment, the frustration,' but simply wanted to teach.
A call to action: Flaws as catalysts for success
Pasquale concludes by addressing the audience directly, emphasizing that countless individuals fail to pursue their dreams not due to a lack of talent, but because they've been convinced their flaws—be it a stutter, background, diagnosis, or anxiety—are insurmountable obstacles. He refutes this notion, stating that these perceived flaws are 'not permanent' and that verdicts are 'not final.' He urges everyone to 'change your perspective' immediately, encouraging those waiting for readiness to act now and those feeling unheard to 'stand up and scream it.' He openly acknowledges that his stutter persists and is unpleasant, but importantly, he chooses 'to not let it control me or define me.' His core message encapsulates his journey: his success, and by extension, our collective success, is not achieved *despite* our flaws, but *because* of them. The key is to shift perspective and embrace adversity as a source of strength.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Companies
●Organizations
●People Referenced
Common Questions
John Pasquale always dreamed of being a teacher since he was a child, even role-playing teaching with his stuffed animals and a teacher's manual.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
The speaker, a music teacher and director of the University of Michigan Marching Band, who shares his personal journey overcoming a severe speech impediment.
A composer whose piece John Pasquale heard during a concert in high school, which was a pivotal moment that solidified his desire to become a band director.
An individual after whom the professorship at the University of Michigan that John Pasquale holds is named.
The elementary school in Manatawak, Wisconsin, where John Pasquale started first grade.
The university where John Pasquale pursued his master's and doctorate degrees in conducting.
The institution where John Pasquale eventually became the director of the marching and athletic bands.
More from TEDx Talks
View all 42 summaries
22 minRetracing the Forgotten: Why Jeju 4.3 Is Relevant to Us | Chaeri (Iris) Kang | TEDxKISJeju
21 minThe Reinvention Loop | Devanggana Chauhan | TEDxKES Shroff College
21 minThe Power of Unplanned Turns | Dr. Shailya Gupta | TEDxDFBEDU
25 minUsing Climate Action to End Poverty | DR Ibraheem Dooba | TEDxMinna
Found this useful? Build your knowledge library
Get AI-powered summaries of any YouTube video, podcast, or article in seconds. Save them to your personal pods and access them anytime.
Try Summify free