Applications are now being accepted for a unique summer program which emphasizes the interplay of art, music, science and ecology. Arte Encantado, for middle-school-aged students, takes place at the ABQ BioPark, Explora Science Center and Children's Museum, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science and the Albuquerque Museum. Arte Encantado is sponsored by the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department.

Now in its fourth year, Arte Encantado has become a popular program for students entering 6th, 7th and 8th grades, with a variety of outdoor and indoor art and science activities being experienced during the week.

Among them, students will explore the Rio Grande and bosque, design solar-powered robots, create music from organic sources, compose poetry and learn about art and science connections. Teachers in the Arte Encantado program are professionals in their particular disciplines, and enjoy the opportunity to share their passion with students.

The program has a mission to increase access to the abundant educational, cultural and natural resources in Albuquerque.

Two one-week-long sessions are available with a maximum of 25 students each session. Session One is scheduled for June 13-17; Session Two is scheduled for June 20-24.

Arte Encantado sessions run Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm and take place at different locations depending on that day's activities.

The cost is $35 per student with lunch and snacks included. Parents must be able to drop off and pick up their children at the daily specified session locations and times.

Online registration is available at cabq.gov/arte-encantado-registration-form/.

Singer/songwriter John Gorka delivered two highly spirited sets at the Summer Nights series at the BioPark (903 10th Street SW) on Thursday, June 19. The Minnesota-based veteran touring artist wowed longtime fans and won over countless Albuquerque music lovers who were new to his signature mix of deep and clever vocals, guitar and comedic storytelling.

Gorka opened with originals from his latest release, The Bright Side of Down, and continued to sample the collection to great effect throughout the evening. Gorka is nothing if not precise, personal and universal, sometimes all in the same lyric. This ability combined with masterful musicianship across genres including folk, blues, pop, rock, bluegrass and rockabilly makes him a worthy companion for an evening ... or a lifetime. This reviewer has seen him in concert over 20 times. Many of those performances have been in festival settings, as Gorka is a highly sought-after act on the vital, enduring national folk fest circuit. At the BioPark concert, he joked about visiting Scandinavia, a hotbed of singer/songwriter and folk fandom.

Gorka's catalog is extensive, and he plumbed its depths in concert. Selections included chestnuts like “I Saw a Stranger with Your Hair,” “I’m From New Jersey,” “Branching Out” and “Love is Our Cross to Bear.” The modern-day Renaissance man wove requests and selective orchestrated sing-alongs to engage the receptive crowd on the lawn that beautiful night. Many in the audience were obviously longtime followers. And they, along with the newcomers, were rewarded with a varied and holistic representation of the showman’s talent.

In stark contrast to the awkward egotism displayed by Marc Cohn the week prior at Zoo Music, Gorka paid our fair city a compliment during the second set. He praised the enthusiastic audience, noting that he wished all his shows could be like this, in “this corner of paradise.” The key to delivering such a line lies in simplicity and sincerity, and Gorka radiated both.

John Gorka is a deft master of the folk trifecta: penetrating lyrics, unparalleled musicianship and compelling storytelling. When he opened and finished his tunes at the BioPark, he wasn't greeted with mere applause: We’re talking yelps, yoo-hoo's, squeals of joy and all-around exuberant acknowledgment of this well-traveled troubadour.

Dear John, please come back soon and stay longer.

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