Muriel Port Stevens

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Muriel Stevens, the wife of the late Stanford S. Stevens and a lifelong Rhode Island resident, died Dec. 7. Born in Providence, she attended Classical High School and Pembroke College and went on to receive a master’s of music in piano from the Yale School of Music. She taught piano at Yale and privately, and worked at Brown University as an assistant in the Music Department, where she became acquainted with Francis Madeira, founder of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra.

Muriel began her affiliation with the Philharmonic in 1948 when, as a musician and the mother of two young children, she saw a need for the fledgling orchestra to provide concerts for local schools. She worked as a volunteer with the Philharmonic and helped establish its Educational Concerts Program, which, with the help of the Providence School Department, The Providence Journal, Almacs and the Outlet Company, took off and eventually included all of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns. She became a member of the Board, and was eventually elected president of the Philharmonic in 1962 and manager in 1964.

At the Philharmonic, Muriel worked under eight presidents and five conductors, and supervised 22 annual funds, two major endowment fund campaigns and numerous special projects before her retirement in 1987. After retirement, she was an active volunteer and Honorary Director with the Philharmonic. She received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Rhode Island College in 1981 and a citation from the state upon her retirement in 1987. In 2003 she received the John Hazen White, Sr. leadership award from the Philharmonic and a citation from the city of Providence acknowledging her contributions to the orchestra.

She is survived by her daughter Ruth (David Olson), son Peter (Joan Lovell), grandchildren Amanda Souna (Hassan Souna) and Jake Olson (Luciana Olson), and great-grandson Kamal Souna. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, 667 Waterman Ave., East Providence, R.I. 02914.