By Abigail Bender
The University of Maryland’s Adele H. Stamp Student Union featured Minh Vo & Friends on Wednesday, March 25, for its Spring into Stamp’s Living Room performance, coordinated by Stamp Special Events and Programs.
Throughout the spring semester, the Stamp Student Union has hosted concerts in various locations, including the Baltimore room and the North Atrium, for students, faculty and staff. Last week, Minh Vo & Friends performed live music featuring styles such as jazz, hip hop and R&B.
“I was invited to present my band at Spring into Stamp, and I gladly accepted because I think it’s a great opportunity to engage our local community with what jazz music sounds like today,” said Minh Vo, a junior applied physics major and group pianist.
As stated on MinhVoPiano’s About page, Vo began learning piano at 7-years-old, and has since performed at venues in the Washington, D.C., area and around the country. Vo has collaborated with musicians such as George Cables and Nasar Abadey.
“What inspired me to get into music was how liberating it is to play and listen to, no matter the genre,” Vo said.
The band Minh Vo & Friends was created specifically for the Spring into Stamp’s Living Room performance, Vo said. The band incorporated bass, horns, piano and drums into their performance as students in the Baltimore Room ate and studied while listening to the group on stage.
Through Spring into Stamp’s Living Room, students share their talents with staff and peers. Any student is welcome to perform and can register through Spring into Stamp’s interest form.
After being tasked with improving Stamp’s Cozy Concert events, Coordinator for Stamp Events and Contracts Kyrsha Balderas and Manager of Stamp Programs Laura Hood created the Spring into Stamp’s Living Room experience.
“This series is actually a throwback from a couple of years ago,” Balderas said. “The idea was to try and create events that might bring more people into the Stamp.”
For some students, it was their first time performing in front of a live audience, Balderas said.
“The atmosphere within the North Atrium shifts when there is a performance,” Balderas said. “It’s a little more lively because people are clapping and cheering from all three levels to hear the music.”
Manager of Stamp Programs Laura Hood and SEE directors contacted the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, SEE students and Degy Entertainment to promote the performances, while Balderas said she looked for student musicians who could perform.
“For one of the upcoming performers, I attended one of their performances and thought they would be a great fit for the series,” Balderas said. “In a really small way, I was able to experience being a scouting agent.”
The Stamp Student Union will continue to host Spring into Stamp’s Living Room performances for the spring semester. Any musician who wants to uplift students and staff through music is encouraged to join and will receive Terrapin Express funds of $100 as an appreciation for performing.
Featured Image: Minh Vo & Friends performing for students and staff in the Baltimore Room of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union on March 25, 2026. Photo by Abigail Bender.