Vermont HCR 291: House concurrent resolution congratulating Williams College Professor of Music W. Anthony Sheppard on his designation as a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow

Bill Text

R-349 Page 1 of 1 
2026 
 
VT LEG #389708 v.1 
No. R-349.  House concurrent resolution congratulating Williams College Professor 
of Music W. Anthony Sheppard on his designation as a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow. 
(H.C.R.291) 
Offered by Representative Cooper of Pownal 
Offered by Senators Bongartz and Plunkett 
Whereas, in 1925, former Colorado U.S. Senator John Simon Guggenheim established 
a foundation, which today supports “extraordinary individuals breaking new ground in 
the Creative Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and a range of 
interdisciplinary fields,” and, during the past century, the John Simon Guggenheim 
Memorial Foundation (the Foundation) has awarded over 19,000 scholars nearly $450 
million in fellowship grants, and 
Whereas, on April 14, 2026, the Foundation introduced the 101st fellowship class, 
consisting of 223 new Guggenheim Fellows, selected from nearly 5,000 applicants who 
are engaged in 55 disciplines; who represent 97 academic institutions; and who reside in 
the United States, Canada, and eight other nations, and 
Whereas, one of the 2026 Guggenheim Fellows is Pownal resident W. Anthony 
Sheppard, the Marylin and Arthur Levitt Professor of Music at Williams College, a 
faculty member since 1996, a graduate of Amherst College, and holder of a master’s 
degree and a doctoral degree from Princeton University, and 
Whereas, Professor W. Anthony Sheppard’s research and teaching interests range 
from American musical history to Asian (especially Japanese) music, Broadway musical 
theater, cross-cultural influences, exoticism, globalization’s impact on music, film music 
analysis, opera, popular music, and vocal timbre, and 
Whereas, while on the Williams College faculty, he has edited and contributed to 
volumes on the bandleader Paul Whiteman and the Williams College alumnus, Broadway 
composer, and lyricist Stephen Sondheim; he has written two books, one exploring 
Japan’s influence on American music and a second examining exotic influences in 
modernist musical theater; he has published many thoughtful articles; he has edited 
leading academic music journals; and he has been the recipient of numerous accolades 
and honors; and he is a popular lecturer at musical events, now therefore be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:  
That the General Assembly congratulates Williams College Professor of Music W. 
Anthony Sheppard on his designation as a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow, and be it further 
Resolved:  That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to 
Professor W. Anthony Sheppard.