Call it Intuition (chamber) | Eric Estrada Valadez

Call it Intuition (2024)

Instrumentation:

flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, and string quintet

Duration: ca. 10'

"Call it Intuition" is inspired on Isaac Asimov's short story "Reason," part of the "I, Robot" anthology. The narrative explores the conflict between a robot that becomes aware of its spirituality and desire to serve a higher being, and two engineers dispatched by the robot company to remind it of its purpose: to prevent a solar storm from reaching Earth, not to engage in rituals or theological debates. When asked by the engineers how it knows it wasn't created by humans but by a greater being, the robot simply replies, "Call it intuition.”

This story serves as a reflection of our anxieties when faced with technology that challenges our humanity, a conversation particularly relevant today with the rise of AI. Art's unique role in this dialogue lies in its representation of our humanity and creativity.

Commissioned by AURA Contemporary Ensemble

Performance History:

Premiered at the Moores Opera House by AURA Contemporary Ensemble on April of 2024