I don't find a reference to this program at Folklife, but the following might be helpful if someone wants to pursue it. Mr Sonneborn sounds like he'd be in a position to be involved.

"The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is located at 750 9th Street, NW, Suite 4100, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560-0953. Please note our mailing address for the foreseeable future is P.O. Box 37012, Victor Building, Suite 4100, MRC 953, Washington, DC 20013-7012.
"Telephone: (202) 275-1150. Fax: (202) 275-1119. E-mail: folklife-info@si.edu

"D. A. SONNEBORN - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS
"D.A. Sonneborn, Ph.D. in music (ethnomusicology), wrote new music for theater, film, and dance works in the United States and Western Europe. He managed productions and artists as well as produced concerts, festivals and albums. His articles, reviews, and photos appear in The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music and scholarly journals. Sonneborn co-authored (with drummer Mickey Hart and Professor Fredric Lieberman) Planet Drum (Harper San Francisco, 1991), is a member of ICTM and SEM and a founding member of the SEM's Applied Ethnomusicology Committee. His research interests include intentionality in music performance, music and ritual, and folk music of the Veneto (Italy).
"mailto:SonnebornA@si.edu
"D. A. Sonneborn, Assistant Director, Smithsonian Folkways. 202.275-1158."

Sounds like an interesting setup.

Note: In a normal software project, the Alpha test is often done using company employees, but usually employees outside the "design group" that produced the software. The Beta Test usually refers to a limited "public" distribution where people "outside the company" are allowed to play with the program. Ideally, the Beta testing shouldn't start until the designers are sure (from the Alpha test feedback) that they have a product that's "ready for market." It doesn't always work that way - one "famous manufacturer" is on their 4th (or maybe it's the 5th?) Beta of a notorious new (and very large) program now.

John