New to undergrad recital etiquette. Does the performing student typically give some sort of gift of thanks to each of the other student musicians who have volunteered to perform on collaborative works during the program?
I don’t think so–since everyone is always playing for everyone. But it’s a sweet idea and would be surely be appreciated. Also, the culture might vary from program to program. At my daughter’s conservatory, no.
My daughter (very) small pretty boxes of chocolates for the instrumentalists who played her pieces.But then again, she is not an instrumentalist and did not return the favor by playing in any of their pieces. I think she was going for a thoughtful but modest gesture of thanks.
My son did a recital a couple year ago where he was working on the Beethoven concerto, and rather than doing it with a piano he found an arrangement where a string quintet accompanied the solo part. We gave the kids who played with him as a thank you some neat compact wireless speakers we found at Brookstone, they weren’t that expensive and the kids liked them. I thought of it as a nice gesture, but not required.
What about year end thank you gifts for collaborative pianists or the studio teacher?
Teacher got a slightly larger box of chocolates 
The only time I did anything for a teacher was after my D’s senior recital. We had very little contact with her teacher or her coach of 4 years. I did buy a gift for each after her sr recital to say thank you for taking care of her for 4 years. And I do believe she gave gift certificates to a few friends who helped. In grad school I’ve done nothing nor have I met her teacher. I do at this age feel like it’s her responsibility. She is in tune to protocol and would let me know if some thing was expected. I didn’t feel the gifts after the sr recital where expected. I just told my D I wanted to do something.
Note - I could be off on this! I do depend on my D to tell me what’s expected and I just assume she knows.
Just remembered - my D likes to bake and I do recall her saying on occasion she was making cookies for people who help her with recitals etc.
Thanks @compmom and @bridgenail She has her first juries tomorrow and a few other things coming up since it’s the end of the quarter. Thank you gifts are not on her radar right now but she will have time over spring break and she likes to bake too! She is very appreciate of the support and direction she has received as a freshman (and so am I!).
I guess I would not give anything to teachers, myself, since I have zero relationship with them, and so that was entirely my kid’s doing, and her impulse as well.
At son’s school, the student pianists were paid for rehearsal and performance time. Fun gifts, gift certificates, invite to the post recital dinner and sometimes a bottle of wine were common ways to say thank you to others who participated on recital day. Son paid for everything except the dinners after the recitals.
Son also took some teachers out for lunch during his senior year and grad school to say thank you.
I FED them post-recital with a spread of food!!! Yeah all my son’s friends played on each other’s recitals. My own son has played on other’s recitals. It is often fun and something they are eager to do. They don’t expect to be paid or rewarded as the reward is just being asked to play on somebodies recital. But post-recital food is always appreciated. I did buy each of my son’s friends (not just those who played on his recital) a chocolate penguin. I wish I could tell you it was appreciated. I think they appreciated the sandwiches and real food I provided post-recital a lot more.
Some kids still prefer that parents stay out of it