DECATUR, Ill. – When it was announced in front of the Kaeuper Hall in the Perkinson Music Center audience that Millikin University senior saxophonist Mackenzie Mann was the winner of the 2025 Hollis Prize, the highest award given to student musicians at Millikin, Mann couldn’t believe it.
“I was very surprised once they started going through the list, announcing the second and first runner up. I just kept expecting to hear my name,” she said. “Then there was only one plaque left, and my face dropped out of excitement. It was not something that I was expecting at all, but I was so proud of myself for accomplishing that.”
Mann and the other Hollis Prize finalists, Julia Funck and Colton Middleton, performed 25-minute sets in front of an audience and panel of adjudicators, who determined the winner. Mann’s performance included a variety of styles, including Paule Maurice’s “Tableaux de Provence,” Heitor Villa-Lobos’ “Fantasia,” and Marius Constant’s “Musique de Concert.”
“We tried to tailor the entire program around many different countries. I had some French, I had some German, I had some South American composers,” Mann said. “I tried to get a wide variety. I had a female composer in there (Paule Maurice), which was special to me. Generally, the more diverse the repertoire, I think the better.”
It was the first time Mann competed in a competition like the Hollis Prize, which puts Millikin’s top solo performers through a rigorous audition process to advance to the final recital.
“I had never done competitions like that before, and I will not lie, I was very nervous. This experience was very new to me, and honestly, in the end, I didn't care about what place I was in,” she said. “I was just so grateful to be there. To perform and show my younger self that this is what you've accomplished. You couldn't do this four years ago, and you sound great today.”
Since 2003, Dr. C. Kimm Hollis, a 1972 Millikin alum and retired Department Chair, Professor of Music, and Artist-in-Residence Emeritus at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind., has funded the Hollis Prize Competition. As the Millikin Alumnus of the Year Award (2022) and Alumni Loyalty Award (2020) recipient, Hollis has been recognized for his steadfast commitment to the School of Music.
The winner of this recital receives a monetary award of $3,000 and an opportunity to perform a solo Winner’s Recital at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, Ill.; runners-up receive cash awards of $1,000 & $500. Mann performed the winner’s recital, expanding upon the selections she played at the Hollis Prize competition on Sunday, April 27, in front of friends and family.
Initially taking up the trumpet, Mann transitioned to the saxophone in middle school, taking part in her middle school jazz band and wind ensembles. At Millikin, under the instruction of Dr. Perry Rask, she’s broadened her playing from alto sax to soprano, baritone, and the sopranino saxophone. Mann is also an accomplished piano player, studying under Dr. Pei-I Wang at Millikin.
“It has been great to be able to expand my horizons. One of the first things Dr. Rask said when I got here was, ‘You're not just a tenor sax player, you're a sax player.’ He's very big on getting you into a whole bunch of different things,” Mann said. “He has been fantastic. He is very good at finding the things you're interested in and the things you struggle with, and tailoring your lessons to get those better. He's always been big on helping me find my sound and really grow. He doesn't go easy on you, and that is exactly what I want.”
Mann, a double major in Commercial Music and Arts Administration, has been active on campus, serving as the President of the Sigma Alpha Iota-Nu Chapter, Jazz Education Network, Dissonance A Cappella, SAXO, and Millikin Piano Club, and is a member of Alpha Chi Omega-Upsilon chapter. Mann has served as the Librarian of the Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra (MDSO) and, for the past three years, has been a Student Experience Ambassador (SEA), helping new Millikin students get their footing around campus during Orientation week.
“The biggest part that I love about it is seeing how all of the first years grow. It's really special to see them on the first day, help them move in with their families, and get them past that homesickness. We try to get them involved, especially during Welcome Week and as the school year goes on, getting to see all of the amazing things they get involved in and all the friends they start making. It's great to see them around campus.”
Mann, who is originally from Antioch, Ill., remembers her first visit to Millikin’s campus and what excited her about becoming a Big Blue student.
“When I came down here for my first visit. I just felt right at home right away. It was springtime and the campus was absolutely gorgeous with all the trees blossoming,” she said. “Everybody I talked to was so nice. I wanted to do so much at school, and everyone said yes, you can do that. It was just really great.”
Mann's career goals include working in music venues, and this summer she will get to do that as a Program Assistant at the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Institute in Highland Park, Ill., which strives to cultivate the next generation of classical and jazz musicians.
The Commercial Music program has given Mann the flexibility to pursue her interests in the field and prepare her for whatever challenges her career may bring. Serving as a Student Manager at Millitrax Recording Studio, Millikin’s student-run on-campus studio, has given her Performance Learning experiences, which will be vital in her next career steps.
“I love being in the studio. I have used it as a jumpstart to understanding many different systems. Studio and live sound work can differ, but the two have many similarities. Having that kind of baseline knowledge, I felt would benefit me in the future,” Mann said. “You can help figure out this sound problem or better understand the needs of an artist that is coming in. That's what I love about the studio, there are so many different things to play with.”
