Emily Branum, Symphony 30:
“You Have to Ask Yourself, ‘If I Don’t Who Will?’”
By Keysha Drexel
Journal editor
Emily Branum said growing up in Baton Rouge, La., gave her an appreciation for music, but it’s the Mountain Brook resident’s love for her new hometown that motivates her to try to make the Birmingham metro area a better place to live.
Branum, 36, a practicing partner at the Balch & Bingham law firm, is a member of Symphony 30, an Alabama Symphony Orchestra support group that was formed about 17 years ago. Its membership includes young women dedicated to promoting the activities and programs of the orchestra for young patrons.
“I’m passionate about the impact that the symphony has on our community with respect to the arts and economic development,” Branum said. “The arts give a city a soul. I think a vibrant arts community is also important for the growth of Birmingham.”
Branum credits her mother, a painter, for instilling in her an appreciation for the arts.
“I was exposed to all kinds of different art and music because that’s so prevalent in Louisiana,” she said. “I feel like artists create paintings out of nothing and musicians make art out of silence. I have a real appreciation for that ability, that process.”
And now that she and her husband, Joel, are parents to 7-year-old Henry and 4-year-old Ruth, Branum said it’s more important to her than ever to pass along that reverence for the arts and music.
“My greatest fear is that my kids won’t want to stay here after they grow up, so I want to support the arts to make Birmingham a great place for everyone’s kids,” she said.
That desire to make sure all children in the area have a chance to hear the ASO and learn about music is one of the reasons Branum said she enjoys volunteering with Symphony 30.
“I feel really strongly that the symphony shouldn’t be reserved for a certain socioeconomic class,” she said. “That’s why I love that the money raised by Symphony 30 goes to support the ASO’s outreach programs, including the youth education and orchestra programs.”
In addition to offering field trip concerts to students, the ASO has in-school programs like Musicians Activating Growth in Classrooms, or MAGIC. MAGIC is a collaborative school partnership program that brings ASO musicians into classrooms to teach arts-integrated, curriculum-based lessons and provide teachers with professional development in music education.
Through the MAGIC program, musicians and teachers work together to create a unique residency plan for each classroom, and students experience hands-on creative musical exploration while applying principles of math, science, language arts and social studies. The program culminates with participating students and teachers attending an ASO Young People’s Concert at no charge.
Symphony 30 also works to promote the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to giving young musicians from across the state the opportunity to learn and grow through rehearsing and performing in a highly professional setting.
“It would break my heart if we couldn’t foster the talent of the children in our community that have a musical inclination. That’s why the youth orchestra is so important,” she said.
The ASO performs 20 free community engagement concerts a year. The concerts are aimed at giving more people the opportunity to hear great music performed by professional musicians, Branum said.
“It enables the ASO to reach a diverse audience that includes people that don’t have access to attend events at the Alys Stephens Center,” she said.
Symphony 30’s main fundraiser each year is the Symphony 30 Picnic, which is put on with the help of title sponsor Brookwood Medical Center and donations of food and food service staff from Jim ’N Nick’s Barbecue.
Branum chaired the 2013 event in September at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which raised more than $30,000 for the ASO.
“I’d say that one of the most rewarding aspects of chairing the picnic this year has been seeing firsthand how generous our community is, especially Brookwood Medical Center and Jim ’N Nick’s, who have sponsored the picnic and grown with us,” Branum said. “I was also truly touched and inspired by my friends and colleagues that stepped up and supported the picnic and this year. That experience was unexpected and one I really treasure.”
Branum said attendance at the family-friendly fundraiser has increased over the years from a few hundred attendees to more than 600 at the 2013 event.
John Stone, the ASO’s director of development, said without the efforts of Branum and others involved in Symphony 30, the education and youth orchestra programs would not be possible.
“Emily was instrumental in the success of the 2013 Symphony 30 Picnic benefiting the ASO and its education initiatives,” Stone said. “If it weren’t for the Picnic, we wouldn’t be able to do all that we do in the realm of education and outreach.”
Stone said Branum is a successful advocate for the symphony’s mission of expanding the cultural, educational and artistic benefits of having a world-class symphony orchestra in Alabama.
“Emily is obviously passionate for our cause and understands why giving the gift of music to Alabama’s children and adults can reap incredible benefits down the road,” Stone said.
Branum said she thinks people enjoy the Symphony 30 Picnic because it is the rare fundraiser that welcomes children.
“You don’t have talk your husband into wearing a tux, and you don’t have to find a babysitter,” she said. “It’s a really laidback atmosphere where you get to be with your friends and family and enjoy great music while raising money for the ASO.”
The annual picnic fundraiser was how Branum first got involved in Symphony 30, she said.
“I went to the picnic with some friends and just fell in love with it. I was asked to help with some corporate fundraising and really enjoyed working with the women in the group and just got more involved over time,” Branum said.
Branum said her parents led by example and that civic service is something she sees as part of her responsibilities as a member of the community.
She said another big influence on her philanthropic efforts has been Stephen Black, the founder of Impact Alabama.
“He’s a true civil servant and has devoted all his energy to bettering Alabama,” she said. “Watching his commitment to the state is something I’ve learned from and been inspired by since I’ve known him.”
Branum said she knows for many people, finding the time to volunteer can be difficult.
“But you have to ask yourself, ‘If I don’t, who will?’ and realize that you can make a difference in whatever time you can give,” she said.
Branum said when it comes to volunteering and philanthropic pursuits, it is also important to use your talents and professional background and skills.
“I give back where it matches my talents. I used to be a more hands-on kind of volunteer, but now I work more behind the scenes planning and fundraising,” she said. “My experiences in my career have given me strengths that I feel obligated to share, and I encourage other people to use their professional training and experiences to benefit the community.”
Branum said she’ll continue to make the Birmingham metro area a place with a healthy arts community that not only attracts new people but new businesses and new opportunities for growth.
“This is a community that we really believe in and want to make even better,” she said. “I want Birmingham to be a place my kids want to stay.”
