The Keith Radley Hutchison Award

After the sudden passing of Keith Hutchison, this award was created by his friends during 1998.  He was an enthusiastic supporter of all things Scottish in Montreal. The award is given annually to a piper at The Black Watch (RHR) of Canada who possesses exceptional piping skills, has demonstrated a strong ability to play the instrument solo and who possesses an excellent character.
 
In addition to serving as a memorial, the purpose of the award is to encourage and support excellent pipers and to maintain the strong ties that have existed between the Black Watch Pipes and Drums and the Society.

​The award shall be given to a piper at the Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment of Montreal, who:
1. Possesses exceptional piping skills;
2. Has demonstrated a strong ability to play the instrument alone;
3. And who possesses an excellent character.

2022 Recipient

The 2022 winner is Sergeant Kevin Toupin. Kevin began piping in the Maritimes and continued on with the Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown, New Brunswick. Following a reclassification as a Human Resources Administrator and after receiving a promotion, he was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Leadership and Recruit Training in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. After arriving in Quebec, he joined The Black Watch (RHR) of Canada Pipes and Drums, where he has progressed to his current rank.

Kevin embodies exactly what the Keith Radley Hutchison Award embodies—he is an excellent piper, with great character and charisma. Both an outstanding solo and band player, he sets a fine example to all pipers in the pipe band.

Previous winners:
1998   Pipe Major Jordon Anderson
1999   Piper Stephane Chamberland
2000   Piper Philip Butler
2001   Piper Jeff Thorpe
2002   Piper Brent Schaus
2003   Pipe Major Cameron Stevens
2004   Piper Hugh Dowell
2005   Piper Josh Odermatt
2006   Piper Terri Lynn McLaren
2007   Piper Ian Leblanc
2008   Piper Ron Rice
--
2013  Piper Alexandre Leger
2014  Piper Maxime Langevin
2015  Piper Robert W. Kerr
2016  Piper Malcolm David Cox
​2017  Piper Sasha Mathew
2018  Piper Patrick Leduc
2019  Piper Alec McGuckin
2020 Piper Robert Kerr
​2021  Piper Bruce Bolton
​2022 Piper Kevin Toupin