Caspian Stokes (10) is a full-scholarship student in the Conservatory and a beneficiary of the Bagley Bass Scholarship at the Peterson School of Music where he studies double bass with David Yavornitzky.  Caspian received second place in the ten-and-under age division at the 2025 International Society of Bassists Solo Competition.  He also received first place in the elementary division of the 2026 UMTA Concerto Competition.  Caspian additionally participates in Lyceum Youth Orchestras where he has been a featured soloist.  Caspian began studying bass at age four under the tutelage of Hillary Fuller. A fifth-grade student in the Advanced Learning Center program at Morningside Elementary in Holladay, Caspian has enjoyed success in debate when he isn’t freeride skiing or spending time with his family and friends. 

Isaac Beus (14) is a full-scholarship Conservatory student and recipient of the Starling Scholarship at the Peterson School of Music, where he studies violin with Eugene Watanabe. He previously studied with Deborah Moench and David Beck.

Isaac regularly performs duo recitals with his father, pianist Stephen Beus, including annual appearances in the Steinway Concert Series in Cannon Beach, Oregon. He was a winner of the American Fork Symphony Salute to Youth Competition and received first place in the 2025 MTNA Utah Division String Competition and UMTA competition. Additional honors include performances in the ISSI Honors Recital and participation in the GMS Preparatory Division Concerto Competition.

Isaac is the second oldest of six children and is part of a musical family. His father is a concert pianist and professor at BYU, and his mother, Alainna, is a classically trained soprano and voice teacher. In his free time, Isaac enjoys watching BYU football, teaching his four-year-old brother Bowen how to become a grand master ninja, and cold plunging in the mountains with his friends.

Alvin Gao (16) is a student in the Conservatory program at the Peterson School of Music, where he studies with Dr. Vera Oussetskaia Watanabe on a full scholarship. His previous teachers include Tonya Pruhs and Luke Hancock.

Over the years, he has participated in the summer intensive at the Juilliard School of Music, the PianoTexas Festival, and the Colburn Piano Camp Intensive. This will be Alvin’s second time performing in Salute to Youth, following his previous performance in 2023. Performing with the Utah Symphony has been an important part of Alvin’s journey toward becoming a serious musician.

The son of Min Wu and Hongyi Gao, Alvin is a junior at Hillcrest High School. He enjoys astronomy, reading, writing, and playing drums.

Sonnet Wilson (14) has been playing the harp for 11 years and currently studies with Mikell DeMille. In 2023, she won first place in the Junior Division of the American Harp Society National Competition. She also received first place in the American Harp Society Utah Chapter Competition in 2023 and 2025. Sonnet also plays flute in her school band.

Outside of music, Sonnet loves art and crafting, camping, traveling with her family, and spending time with her two cats. Her favorite places she has visited include France and Africa. Inspired by her family’s love of France and her French-speaking dad, she is currently learning French. Sonnet also loves big roller coasters and new adventures. Her favorite movie is The Princess Bride, and some of her favorite books are Edenbrooke and the Harry Potter series. She is excited and grateful for the opportunity to perform with the Utah Symphony.

Ella Johnson (16) studies at the Peterson School of Music and is a junior at Skyline High School. While she has played the cello for only five years, her musical journey began on the violin at age four, under the guidance of Deborah Moench, Rachel Karr, and Will Hagen. After years of convincing her parents, Ella finally made the switch to cello and now studies with her father, Utah Symphony Acting Principal Cellist Matthew Johnson.

Ella has performed as Principal Cellist with the Utah Youth Symphony and the Utah All-State Orchestra and participated in the Utah Symphony’s Side-by-Side Concert, Colorado Cello Institute, and the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute. Along with being selected for Salute to Youth, she has earned awards at the Brimhall and ASTA competitions.

An alumna of the Madeleine Choir School, Ella has sung extensively across the United States, Portugal, and Italy, including a memorable performance for Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in 2023.

When she isn’t on stage or practicing, you can find Ella outdoors, mountain biking or running track for Skyline High School.