Admin and Management

Robert B. Downing, a long time supporter of classical music and opera performance organizations, co-founded the Apollo Orchestra with Virginia Lum in 2010, and has remained as Chairman/CEO since that time. Mr. Downing is also President of the Downing Family Foundation, which funds the Apollo Orchestra’s activities.

Also since 2010, Mr. Downing has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Washington National Opera, an affiliate of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., serving as the Board’s President for two terms. He has served on or chaired the Board’s Executive Committee for most of his tenure on the Board. During Mr. Downing’s terms as Board President, the WNO staged the company’s acclaimed co-production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle of operas, the largest project ever completed by the WNO, and the only Ring Cycle ever presented by the WNO in its 50+ year history.

Professionally, for more than two decades Mr. Downing was a co-owner and senior executive of Oxford Realty, a major national real estate developer, manager, and property owner, based in Bethesda Maryland. At the time of the company’s sale in the early 2000’s, Oxford was the largest private owner of apartments in the United States.

Mr. Downing also is a long time supporter of the educational mission of his alma mater, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and continues to serve on its Board of Visitors. Mr. Downing was recently inducted into the school’s Society of Benchers, an honorary society for lifetime contributions to the school, the field of law, and community service.

Robert and Lynn Downing are active supporters of medical research at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the associated hospitals, providing primary support for cancer research and clinical trials, as well as operational support for the departments of surgery and oncology.

A Rosenman Award recipient and graduate of Juilliard, where she obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Virginia Lum made her musical debut as a piano soloist with the Honolulu Symphony at age 8. Ms. Lum made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall with PDQ Bach (Peter Schickele) and has frequently performed as a soloist with the St. Louis and Baltimore symphonies, as well as a recitalist at the Kennedy Center, Phillips Collection, and Lincoln Center.

Also a graduate of Georgetown University’s law school, she enjoys her performances in courts of appeals as well as in concert halls. In addition, since 2001, she has been General Counsel on the Board of Directors for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) of the National Capital Area, Washington, D.C., advising and overseeing the nation’s sole authorized solicitation of Federal employees on behalf of 24,000 charitable organizations across the nation.

John Patton is an active freelancer in the DC Metro Area. He previously held the positions of Principal Percussion in the Orlando Philharmonic  and Section Percussion in the Florida Southwest Symphony. He is currently Assistant Principal Percussionist with the Roanoke Symphony, as well as a regularly engaged musician at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington, VA. There he has performed in over a dozen musical productions over the past 8 years, and was recently elected chairperson of the Signature Players’ Committee. In addition to performing, John has also worked in Event Services at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Logistics Coordination for The UMD Summer Percussion Workshop, and Percussion/Stage Management for Music Academy of the West. Prior to his employment by Music Academy, he spent two summers there as a student and recipient of the Menk Family Trust Endowed Fellowship. 

Jordan Avellino brings a diverse background in performance arts and marketing to every project to creating memorable experiences and driving meaningful engagement. Certified in Data Analytics and Digital Marketing, with expertise in social media management, campaign analysis, and content creation, Jordan excels in dynamic environments where creativity meets strategy. Armed with a Master’s degree in Music Performance and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance & Business, Jordan brings a blend of artistic sensibility and analytical prowess to every endeavor.

Al Rise is currently the hornist of the Georgetown Quintet and utility horn for Apollo, and substitutes with several orchestras in the Washington, DC region, including the National Philharmonic, the Annapolis Symphony, the Arlington Philharmonic, and the Manassas Ballet Theater Orchestra. He holds an MM in Horn Performance from the University of Maryland and BM from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has performed multiple recital programs, and has been featured as a soloist with several groups in his home state of Michigan. Al has also competed in several solo competitions, including those at CIM, Aspen, Interlochen and the International Horn Competition of America. During the 23-24 Season, he was featured on the “Listen Local” Recital Series (Arts Institute of Western Maine), and the Tuesday Concert Series at Epiphany Church in DC. Al grew up in Mt. Pleasant, MI, in a family-run welding and industrial equipment repair shop.

Olivia Ren is a performance librarian and violinist based in the Washington, D.C. area. She is the Principal Orchestra Librarian for the National Philharmonic at Strathmore, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the National Orchestral Institute and Festival hosted by the University of Maryland. Olivia has taught and performed in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since 2015. She is a section violin member of The Apollo Orchestra, and has performed with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, along with other area orchestras.