This is not a software package to purchase for a youngster to try their hand at composition - that would be like buying a concert grand Steinway for a 5-year-old's first piano lesson! However, for advanced high school students very serious about composing, be it for a solo instrument or a full symphony orchestra, this is undoubtedly a worthwhile investment. Younger, less advanced students will need guidance to get the most from Sibelius. No score to even here - creative and inspired teachers can design exercises and communicate with students via the Internet.

Don't expect Sibelius to actually "do" the work for the student; that's the beauty of this powerful and comprehensive program. This incredible music notation software never assumes that two musicians or two students are exactly alike. Teaching at its best, Sibelius 3 gives the serious student the rules and the tools to use their imagination and knowledge to learn, explore, create and edit.