Alf Richard Kraggerud is today regarded as one of the most renowned violin educators
and talent developers in the Nordic countries. As head of Young Talents at
Barratt Due Music Institute (1999-2007 and 2009-) and founder of Valdres Summer Symphony,
he is one of the most influential people in Norway in these fields.
Kraggerud's results and visions make him particularly sought after as a lecturer and
guest masterclass holder at home and abroad. He has studied violin and pedagogy at
Barratt Due Music Institute and conducting at the Royal Academy (London).
His good results as an educator are another product of his varied and extensive education
and experience. Among other things, he started teaching when he was 13 years old.
After completing his studies in pedagogy and violin at the Barratt Due Music Institute,
he studied conducting in London in 1992 (in classes with G. Hurst at the Royal Academy and
L. Leonard at Morley College). After a short period as first violinist in the
Broadcasting Orchestra, he became principal at Gjøvik Kulturskole (1995-1999).
From 1999 to 2007, he was Head of Young Talents at Barratt Due.
During this time, the department gained an international reputation as a highly respected
musical learning institution. In 2007 he became first principle of the already renowned
Razumovsky Academy in London, but in 2009 he was back in Norway as deputy head of
Barratt Due music institute.
Kraggerud is also both a speaker and leader of master classes.
Among other things, he has appeared at influential and traditional institutions
such as the Mozarteum (Salzburg, Austria), Northwestern University (Chicago, USA)
and Astona (Switzerland) in addition to several of the major Nordic conservatories
and colleges. Valdres Summer Symphony was founded by Kraggerud in 1994, and is an example
of Kraggerud's artistic visions. Besides being one of the largest, it is today one of the
most unique and result-creating of its kind, not least in the European context. All
concerts, all chamber music, individual teaching, orchestral playing and conducting
methodology are played out in a particularly collaborative way between beginners and
big international names, between exchange and collaboration, between play and ambition
and attract an ever-increasing proportion of international course participants.
In 2017, Alf Richard Lindeman won a award for his unique and significant efforts for
talent development and teaching of children and youth. The prize is NOK 150,000, and
Kraggerud will pass on the prize money to young talents in the form of a
Junior scholarship, which will be awarded during the summer symphony.
