University of Southampton - Instrumental impact

Musicians at the University of Southampton have been credited with producing three of the top 100 albums of 2009. The list, compiled by The Times newspaper, saw three academics appear alongside acts such as Madness, Manic Street Preachers and Bob Dylan. Composers Michael Finnissy and Michael Zev Gordon were listed in the contemporary section, and director Elizabeth Kenny appeared in the classical section for her version of Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Mark Everist, head of research in music at Southampton, said: "Having one colleague in such a prestigious listing is a major achievement - three such successes is a real testimony to the music department's significant impact on the arts world."