Island Jazz and UPEI Music Department are pleased to present Joel Miller in concert with Resonance New Music and pianist Silvio Pupo, celebrating the release of their new album “What If?” at UPEI’s Steel Recital Hall on Saturday November 15th at 7:30pm. 

Joel Miller’s new album “What If?” with Resonance New Music and Silvio Pupo
Presented by Island Jazz and the UPEI Department of Music
7:30pm Saturday November 15th 2025, at the UPEI Steel Recital Hall
Tickets $22 in advance, $30 at the door, $10 for students

Saxophonist Joel Miller’s latest album What If? is a classical crossover collaboration with pianist Silvio Pupo and the Resonance New Music ensemble. Distributed by Leaf Music, the album features original compositions alongside reimagined works by Debussy, Chopin, Mahler, and Pachelbel, tracing Miller’s personal journey through jazz, Afro-Latin influences, and classical. Inspired by his partner Mel’s idea of “the & space”—a concept where jazz and classical traditions coexist rather than compete—What If? imagines a musical world where genres meet in harmony. What if jazz and classical could simply be “This and That,” instead of “This vs. That”? This album is a hopeful offering: a version of how things can be.  What If?  

Joel Miller is an award-winning saxophonist and composer based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Raised in a musical family, he studied Jazz Performance at McGill University and has performed with notable artists including Geoffrey Keezer, Brian Blade, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Miller’s career highlights include winning a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album with Swim (2012), ECMA awards for Swim, Dream Cassette (2016), and UNSTOPPABLE (2019). He received multiple grants for composition, recording, and residencies, and leads workshops internationally, continually exploring the intersection of jazz and contemporary music.  

Led by bassist Andrew Reed Miller, Resonance New Music Ensemble is a New Brunswick–based group dedicated to performing experimental, improvised, and contemporary classical music. Supported by the not-for-profit Motion Ensemble, Inc., which Andrew founded in 1998, the ensemble has premiered nearly 100 works by Canadian and international composers including Joel Miller, André Cormier, and Kaija Saariaho. Through adventurous collaborations and boundary-pushing programming, Resonance champions new music across Atlantic Canada and beyond.  

Cuban-born pianist Silvio Pupo studied classical piano in Holguín before relocating to Atlantic Canada in 2009. Known for his dynamic blend of classical and Latin jazz styles, Pupo has become a sought-after collaborator, recording and touring with artists like Ben Caplan and Alfie Zappacosta. Based in Moncton, he is celebrated for his versatile musicianship, charismatic stage presence, and regular performances at Halifax’s iconic venue The Local. 

Listen to What If? on your favourite streaming platforms beginning October 17.  This new digital release is distributed by Leaf Music an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical recordings by artists and composers from across North America.