The internet has fundamentally changed society, it allows us to stay in touch with loved ones and communicate and coordinate with large numbers of people. But it is also used for the decimation of hatred and disinformation. Don’t Feed the Trolls explores the sociological and political challenges of the information age - from its beginnings in the early age of dial-up to the present day, in which information warfare is used to influence elections. The title takes its name from internet slang, urging people to ignore the attention seeking comments from malicious accounts. Modern internet trolling can have multiple manifestations ranging from light-hearted pranks to mob bullying and doxxing, and perhaps the most dangerous, the attempts by organizations and governments to alter society and democracy by sowing disinformation.

The work opens with the spectrum of a dialup modem orchestrated into the ensemble. As the material is stretched it takes on a musical life of its own, invoking the birth of the information age. Eventually the stochastic and nostalgic noises die down and a new theme is introduced. The source material for the second theme is loosely based off of modified fragments of a 1980’s pop song that serves as a light-hearted internet bait and switch. This recontextualisation gradually deviates from its playful nature, becoming increasingly erratic before yielding to the return of the opening material. This final section grows increasingly forceful and mechanical, before ultimately reaching the apex of the work.

Don't Feed The Trolls

Nathan Nokes is a composer, musician, and sound artist whose works contrast heavily calculated precompositional processes with intuitive, freeform lyricism. Much of his work is written for chamber and live electronics. His work often explores the topic of nature and human interconnectedness in the information age. Works of his have been performed by members of ensembles such as Wet Ink, Loadbang, Mise-en, Ulysses European Ensemble, and Invoke Quartet. His music and sound installations have been featured in concert series such as Fusebox Festival (TX), New Voices Festival at COA (Washington DC), Foot in the Door (CT), Cohen New Works Festival (TX), and Festival of Contemporary Art Music (WA). 

His fellowships, scholarships, and residencies include the Kent Kennan Graduate Fellowship (TX), Hartt Talent Scholarship (CT), Nief-Norf Technology Fellowship (TN), I-Park (CT), and The Walden School (NH). 

He is a currently a graduate fellow, composition D.M.A student and associate instructor at the University of Texas in Austin. He received his M.M. in composition from Hartt School of music at the University of Hartford, and B.M. in Composition from Washington State University. 


His fellowships, scholarships, and residencies include the Kent Kennan Graduate Fellowship (TX), Hartt Talent Scholarship (CT), Nief-Norf Technology Fellowship (TN), I-Park (CT), and The Walden School (NH). 

He is a currently a graduate fellow, composition D.M.A student and associate instructor at the University of Texas in Austin. He received his M.M. in composition from Hartt School of music at the University of Hartford, and B.M. in Composition from Washington State University.