Avid acquires Sibelius

Avid Technology today announced that it has acquired Sibelius for approximately $23 million in cash. The London-based Sibelius is a leading music applications software company with products for professionals, educators, and students who want to use computers to write, teach or learn music. The agreement expands Avid's portfolio of digital content creation tools with leading software for music notation and composition, coursework, testing, playback, publishing, authoring, and e-commerce. The company sais that Sibelius will function as unit of its Digidesign audio division and that it will continue to develop and market its own line of software, including exclusive and targeted product offerings that combine a range of tools, including Sibelius software, Digidesign Pro Tools Academic software, and M-Audio keyboards, microphones, and other audio peripherals.

"For years, Avid Technology and its businesses have focused on fostering an environment where educators and students can learn how to create digital media content with the same industry-standard tools that are used by Grammy and Academy award-winning professionals," said David Krall, president and chief executive officer at Avid Technology.

The company also said that over time its Pinnacle Consumer and Avid Video divisions will also benefit from Sibelius' channel expertise, as its explores new ways to expand distribution of any educational product developed by Avid Technology or one of its companies.

"In the short term, this acquisition will allow Sibelius and Digidesign to combine the strengths of their respective sales and education channels and reach a wider audience with offerings that cover the entire spectrum of computer-based music creation – including composing, notating, arranging, recording, editing, mixing and finishing, publishing, and distribution," Krall said.

Sibelius' core product line comprises software tools for editing and arranging music notation in both electronic and printed form. The software is targetted to a wide range of customers, including professional musicians for composing and creating scores for film and TV, orchestral performances and recordings; educational institutions for teaching music at all levels; and individuals who need to provide musical notation as a means to publish their work; the Sibelius product line also includes applications for teaching and testing music in elementary institutions up through the university level.

by MacNN Staff