While research and development effort in other domains are documented via printed and online publications, journals, books etc., the documentation of musical R&D efforts lack a common medium for publication. Only a subset of musical productions is made publicly accessible by commercial record companies. The selection of music is biased towards music which is commercially viable. As a result, a wide range of non-commercial music is left undocumented, represented, for example, by the array of Norwegian composers less famous than Edvard Grieg: Gerhard Schjelderup, Ole Olsen, Johannes Haarklou, Hjalmar Borgstrøm, Catharinus Elling and Arne Eggen.

There is a need for establishing a system for online documentation of all productions from music education institutions. The vision of ENOMA is to use the internet as a common medium in which this type of musical production can be published, easily accessed, documented and listened to by performers, researchers, teachers and students.

The work involves, firstly, establishing an international network of music education institutions which recognise the need for such a common database. The consortium must also consist of competence in recording and digital publication. Secondly, there is a need to develop standards for recording and online publication of music. This involves tasks such as agreeing on recording requirements and audio formats (sampling frequency, compression technology, streaming technology), formats for digitised scores, standardising processes of system integration and database solutions, coding of metainformation, etc. It also involves artistic work including routines for refereeing and selection of music for publication. And finally, it involves legal issues, as the publication of music in a common database must be made in accordance with intellectual property rights.