Sibelius scores with second Millennium Product Award

Further recognition for innovative software gurus

Sibelius Software, the developer of the award winning Sibelius music notation software, has been awarded its second Millennium Product award by the Design Council for its innovative software, Sibelius for Windows. Sibelius, which is used by the Royal Academy of Music, Michael Kamen and Michael Tilson Thomas, was granted Millennium Product status in 1998 for its Acorn version of the software.

The award, which has been made as part of the third tranche of the Millennium Products programme, is granted to those companies and products that demonstrate British innovation at its very best. Other previous winners include the Dyson vacuum cleaner, safety helmets, mobile cinemas, CD-ROM training solutions for doctors, non-iron clothing and the Polo Supermint.

Sibelius Software now has offices in the UK and USA, with a market stretching from schools in the UK to composers in Afghanistan. With the recent launch of a Windows version of its market leading music notation software, and the imminent release of a version for the Macintosh, Sibelius looks set to expand its success worldwide.

Twin brothers Ben and Jonathan Finn began developing Sibelius in 1987 at the age of 18, having taught themselves computer programming at King's College Choir School, Cambridge where they were choristers. The inspiration for Sibelius came from their desire to find a more streamlined and faster way of writing and publishing music. Using their own experiences of composing, the twins developed Sibelius throughout their university careers, to be as easy to use as a word processor but with the functionality needed to take the chore out of composing.

Ben Finn, managing director of Sibelius Software, commented:

"Getting the first Millennium Product award was great, but to get two is excellent - especially when they are from the Design Council. We have worked hard to make sure that Sibelius is a 21st century product and this award is a vindication of all our efforts".

Jonathan Finn, technical director of Sibelius Software, added:

"Any national accolade of this type is brilliant. Perhaps this just goes to show that the best products are those that are borne out of a passion."

Since launch Sibelius has dominated the UK market for music notation software thanks to its ease of use and functionality. In 1998, Sibelius opened US offices and launched its Windows version globally. Since its launch, sales of the Windows version have outstripped all expectations to make it the best-selling music notation software in the world. A Macintosh version of Sibelius will be launched later this year.