400 years ago Robert Greene tried to insult Shakespeare by calling him “an absolute Johannes Factotum” (which means ‘jack-of-all-trades’ in Latin). It was meant as an insult; then, just as today, many people think that a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ is a ‘master-of-none’.

But, in actual fact, much of Shakespeare's success as a writer was achieved because of his many interests, not despite them. That's why his work is so rich, so multi-faceted and why it appeals to so many people.

Harold Raitt (aka Johannes Factotum) is often described as a ‘Renaissance man’. He can make films, build websites, direct a play, sing you a song or help you inspire young people. He enjoys working with people with similarly wide horizons, so his Friends include actors who sing and play many different instruments, filmmakers who are interested in education, graphic designers who also use their computers to produce experimental music and composers who specialise in writing for film and theatre.

P.S. The above should not be taken, in any way, to suggest that Harold considers himself to be in any way as brilliant as Shakespeare. In the words of Robert Browning "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, / Or what's a heaven for?"

• 2010
  Freelance as part of Johannes Factotum and Friends, a collective of inter-disciplinary arts, media and education professionals.
• 2007 - 2009
  Digital Projects Producer, latterly Digital Programme Manager, in the Marketing and Education departments (latterly the Discover Programme) at the National Theatre. Nominated, alongside his production team, for a BAFTA for 'Interactive Creative Contribution' for his work on the National Theatre's Online Tour.
• 2004 - 2007
  Debates and Education Officer, latterly Multimedia Learning Producer, in the Centre for Speech and Debate at the English-Speaking Union.
• 2003 - 2004
  Work in various schools in the West Midlands.
• 2002 - 2003
  Member of the Education Department at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
• 1998 - 2002
  BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University
  • Choral Scholar in St John's College Choir
  • Director of many theatrical productions, including Henry V at the Oxford Playhouse for the Oxford University Dramatic Society
  • Exchange student at the Stiftung Maximilianeum in Munich, Germany from 2000 - 2001
• 1995 - 1998
  Bishop Luffa C of E Comprehensive School, Chichester. A-levels in French, German and English Literature.
• 1992 - 1995
  Madras College, St Andrews, Scotland

Harold has worked for two of the most influential educational charities in the UK.

As Debates and Education Officer for the English-Speaking Union he transformed the pedagogical approach behind the ESU's London Debate Challenge and ESU Schools Mace; through the development and delivery of ambitious new workshop programmes for students and teachers, and by writing and publishing inspirational and clear written resources to support these programmes, he has had a major effect on the teaching of spoken English in the UK.

As Digital Programme Manager for the Discover Programme at the National Theatre, Harold's many initiatives included the BAFTA-nominated Online Tour of the theatre and new strands of educational documentary filmmaking such as play now.

He currently teaches a course in 'Debating: presenting your argument' for City Lit, London's prestigious adult education college.

Under the banner of Johannes Factotum and Friends he is now returning to active work in schools. Spring 2010 has seen him working with Herringham Primary School in Essex to inspire Key Stage 1 teachers to deliver more engaging lessons based on theatrical practice involving interactive performance.

Harold received a classical training as a choral scholar in the choir of St John's College, Oxford. In addition to singing all the major works in the Anglican choral repertoire (and developing a particular passion for the choral works of Thomas Tallis, Anton Bruckner and Herbert Howells), he studied solo singing with Alastair Thompson and Richard Salter, two of the founder members of the world-famous group The King's Singers. While in Oxford, he also developed his skills in musical theatre, performing roles such as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, directing shows such as Fiddler on the Roof and giving numerous solo recitals of songs from the classical, popular and musical theatre repertoires.

Harold is currently extremely active as an arranger; he will be launching his own band as part of the activity of Johannes Factotum & Friends during the summer of 2010. In preparation for this, he has been studying the styles of singers as diverse as Charles Aznavour and Rihanna, and creating exciting new orchestral arrangements of some of their most famous hits, which try to accurately reproduce the original performance style of each artist in a way which makes best use of the live musicians (no backing tracks!) which will form the core of Johannes Factotum and Friends' various musical ensembles.

During 2004 Harold sang with the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus and from 2005-2009 he was a member of London Symphony Chorus. These two choirs are recognised as two of the best symphony choruses in the world and, as such, work with an impressive array of world-class orchestras and conductors. Highlights from over 200 concerts performed with these ensembles include:

• John Adams, 'On the Transmigration of Souls'
  conductor: John Adams, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Ludwig van Beethoven, 9th Symphony
  conductor: Sir Simon Rattle, orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic, venue: Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2004, broadcast live on BBC2
• Ludwig van Beethoven, 9th Symphony
  conductor: Bernard Haitink, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venues: Barbican (London) and Lincoln Center (New York), released on the LSO Live label
  
• Ludwig van Beethoven, Fidelio
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on the LSO Live label
  
• Ludwig van Beethoven, Mass in C
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on the LSO Live label
  
• Hector Berlioz, La damnation de Faust
  conductor: Valery Gergiev, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Leonard Bernstein, Chichester Psalms
  conductor: Sakari Oramo, orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, venue: Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2004, broadcast on BBC4
• Leonard Bernstein, Mass
  conductor: Marin Alsop, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Benjamin Britten, Billy Budd
  conductor: Daniel Harding, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on Virgin Classics and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 2010
  
• Benjamin Britten, Spring Symphony
  conductor: Daniel Harding, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Benjamin Britten, War Requiem
  conductor: Richard Hickox, orchestra: National Youth Orchestra, venue: St Paul's Cathedral
• Edward Elgar, Dream of Gerontius
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on LSO Live
  
• Joseph Haydn, Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venues: Barbican (London) and Lincoln Center (New York), recorded on LSO Live
  
• James Macmillan, St John Passion (world premiere)
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on LSO Live
  
• Gustav Mahler, 2nd Symphony ('Resurrection')
  conductor: Bernard Haitink, orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra, venue: Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2007, broadcast on BBC4
• Gustav Mahler, 2nd Symphony ('Resurrection')
  conductor: Edo de Waart, orchestra: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra: venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre
• Gustav Mahler, 2nd Symphony ('Resurrection')
  conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Gustav Mahler, 2nd Symphony ('Resurrection')
  conductor: Valery Gergiev, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on LSO Live
  
• Gustav Mahler, 8th Symphony ('Symphony of a Thousand')
  conductor: Sir Simon Rattle, orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, venue: Symphony Hall (Birmingham), recorded on EMI Classics
  
• Gustav Mahler, 8th Symphony ('Symphony of a Thousand')
  conductor: Valery Gergiev, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: St Paul's Cathedral, recorded on LSO Live
  
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Requiem
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venues: Barbican (London) and Lincoln Center (New York), recorded on LSO Live
  
• Carl Orff, Carmina Burana
  conductor: Richard Hickox, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on Chandos
  
• Leos Janacek, Glagolitic Mass
  conductor: Pierre Boulez, orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra, venue: Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2008, broadcast on BBC2
  
• Dmitri Shostakovich, Choral symphonies
  conductor: Valery Gergiev, orchestras: London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Concertgebouw, venue: Barbican
• Michael Tippett, A Child of Our Time
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican, recorded on LSO Live
  
• Giuseppe Verdi, Requiem
  conductor: Sir Mark Elder, orchestra: Hallé, venues: Bridgewater Hall (Manchester) and St Paul's Cathedral (London)
• Giuseppe Verdi, Requiem
  conductor: Sir Colin Davis, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venues: St Paul's Cathedral and Barbican (London) and the Luxembourg Philharmonie, recorded on the LSO Live label
  
• Richard Wagner, Götterdämmerung
  conductor: Sir Mark Elder, orchestra: Hallé, venue: Bridgewater Hall (Manchester), broadcast on BBC Radio 3
• Richard Wagner, Parsifal
  conductor: Valery Gergiev, orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, venue: Barbican
• Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sea Symphony
  conductor: Richard Hickox, orchestras: London Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia, venues: Barbican & Royal Festival Hall, recorded on Chandos
  

Full details will be added to this section shortly.

Full details will be added to this section shortly.