EastWest’s new Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra features the company’s new “Play” sample engine. 
 
Play Features:
 

64-bit* with 32-bit compatibility for PC (*see system specifications).
Full memory access with MAC (requires 64-bit MAC).
The software is now Mac Intel compatible.
An intuitive custom interface.
Intelligent performance section including portamento, repetition, legato
Features round robin reset.
Offers improved articulation window and controls.
On-screen Mic position mixing [...]

2008 Summer NAMM Show: Sibelius announced Sibelius First, a new notation and composition tool for singer/songwriters, keyboard players and guitarists. 
“Sibelius First is that great first step into the world of professional score writing for aspiring composers,” said Jeremy Silver, Sibelius Software’s managing director. “If you’re more comfortable composing while playing a guitar or a keyboard, then [...]

This video, from Ableton, is an intro to the new Orchestral Instrument Collection for Live.
It’s a little cheesy - but it’s also cool to see it working within Live.

Ableton has released Orchestral Instruments - four sampled instrument collections representing the four sections of an orchestra. The instrument collections are available individually or as a bundle.
The Orchestral Instruments are seamlessly integrated into the Ableton Live environment and use a technology called SmartPriming to manage system resources efficiently, providing big symphonic sound with a minimum [...]

realsamples has introduced Dulcitone Celesta, based on the Dyson & Sons Dulcitone tuning-fork piano.
The library is part of the Edition Beurmann, a series of instruments out of the renowned historical keyboard instrument collection of Professor Andreas E. Beurmann.
Built around 1910, this unique instrument sports a vibrant, mellow and charming sound reminiscent of a vibraphone, glockenspiel, [...]

 

 Dulcitone samples [1:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Vir2 Instruments has introduced two new virtual instruments - Elite Orchestral Percussion and BASiS.
Elite Orchestral Percussion offers 19 gigabytes of sterling orchestral percussion with a sophisticated script engine, and BASiS fills the low end with a large collection of electric, upright, fretless, and synth basses.
Elite Orchestral Percussion
Vir2 Instruments’ Elite Orchestral Percussion is a  19GB library [...]

SONiVOX has announced the expansion of their DVI (Downloadable Virtual Instrument) line of products, now offering 46 downloadable virtual instruments.
SONiVOX DVI’s are designed for users’ instant gratification and ease of use. Each SONiVOX DVI product is downloadable and instantly playable as a plug-in or as a standalone instrument, allowing musicians added flexibility and convenience in [...]

Audio Impressions has introduced turnkey DVZ Realtime Strings packages optimized for their DVZ-RT and SPACE technologies.
According to Carl Marinoff, Ai’s Marketing Director, the systems are fully scalable, come pre-installed (no DVDs), automatically map all MIDI configurations on start-up and support multi-channel Surround Sound and sample rates up to 192 kHz out of the box.
Depending [...]

Soundfonts.it has released Miles’tone, a new VST physically modeled instrument designed to bring realistic trumpet sounds to your sequencer. Miles’tone is designed to work with a wind controller, but can also be played with a traditional MIDI keyboard thanks to the built-in dedicated envelope generator.
Miles’tone is a simulation of a trumpet, based on a mixed [...]

 

 Miles Davis As A Plug-In [1:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Vienna Symphonic Library has released the new Vienna Instruments Collection Special Brass.
Description:
Like the recently released Special Woodwinds, the 21 GB Vienna Instruments Collection Special Brass offers resonant rarities that a first-rate virtual orchestra can’t do without.
To create the perfect counterpart for Vienna’s now famous Epic Horns, the team recorded an ensemble of six trumpet [...]

QRS Music Technologies has introduced a high-tech version of Gulbransen Digital Hymnal.
The Digital Hymnal DH200 uses CompactFlash card technology, letting you download standard MIDI files and MP3 files to expand the unit’s vast software library capabilities.In addition to CompactFlash technology, the new DH200 has an upgradeable operating system.
The Hymnal plays thousands of hymns, choruses and [...]

The Vienna Symphonic Library team has released VIENNA INSTRUMENTS Collection SPECIAL WOODWINDS, which is now available from Vienna’s worldwide network of distributors and dealers.
Description:
The Special Woodwinds Collection is a 29 GB cornucopia of exotic treasures for symphonic and orchestral works. A special gem is the bass flute. With its velvety, earthy sound, it expands the [...]

IK Multimedia is pleased to announce that Miroslav Philharmonik Classik Edition, the introductory version to the highly popular virtual instrument orchestral plug-in, is now shipping.
A complete and full-featured orchestral virtual instrument covering solo instruments and ensembles. With 250 orchestral sounds spanning the entire orchestra in 1.5GB of samples, Miroslav Philharmonik CE is one of the [...]

The Vienna Symphonic Library has released Vienna Special Edition, which is now available from Vienna’s worldwide network of distributors and dealers.
The Vienna Special Edition brings together the complete orchestra - and more - in one Collection. It is designed to be ideal for orchestral arrangements on the laptop, offering a useful cross-section of the Vienna [...]

Garritan has announced that the Gofriller Solo Cello, the latest software instrument using the revolutionary ’sonic morphing’ process, is now shipping.
This Solo Cello software instrument, created by an Italian team in collaboration with Garritan, expands the company’s solo instrument series following the release of the Stradivari Solo Violin.
According to Garritan, the Gofriller Solo Cello represents [...]