Franz Serafin Kraggerud (born 2013) began playing the cello at the age of five. He currently studies with Louisa Tuck. Previously, he studied with Kari Ravnan. Franz has won prizes at several competitions.
In May 2025, Franz was awarded first prize in the International David Geringas Violoncello Competition. In October 2021, he won first prize in the Midgard Competition and later that year he won third prize in the Nutcracker Competition in Moscow. At the final concert, he performed Saint Saens' cello concerto with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, and the concert was broadcast live on Russian television. There he was also awarded the international EMCY prize.
In April 2022, Franz was awarded first prize in the Young Musician competition in Tallinn and was a soloist with the Kaastegev EMTA Sinfonietta.
He has already had several solo engagements in 2022 and 2023 with, among others, the Oslo Philharmonic, the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, and has been a soloist in Berlin with the Geringas Chamber Orchestra, conducted by David Geringas.
He has played with several conductors, including David Geringas, Mikhail Shekhtman, Patrik Ringborg, Cathrine Winnes, Toomas Vavilov, Markus Obereder, David Maiwald, and Eldar Nilsen. In November 2025, he performed as a soloist in Saint-Saëns' cello concerto at the closing concert of the Young Classic Europe festival in Passau with the Musisches Salzburg Orchestra.
Franz plays a lot of chamber music with his siblings, Alma and Hector. They have performed at several festivals both in Norway and abroad as soloists and chamber musicians.
These include their own concert at the Virtuoso Belcanto Festival in Lucca, Young Classic Europe in Passau, the Purbeck International Chamber Music Festival (England), the West Cork Chamber Music Festival in Ireland, the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, and a performance at the Kavli Prize award ceremony in 2022. In 2026, he and his siblings have been invited back to Purbeck ICF.
Franz plays a Francesco Rugeri cello from 1680, which has been loaned to him by Dextra Music.
Photo: Sveinung Hoel Bjorå
