Public piano unveiled at port in tribute to young Manx musician

A new permanent public piano on the Isle of Man will be a young musician’s legacy, his mother has said.

Cody Atzori from Douglas, who enjoyed playing the instruments in Liverpool and Castletown, died suddenly in 2021.

His family have now collaborated with a youth music charity to install a piano for anyone to play at the Sea Terminal in Douglas in his memory.

Liz Atzori said she felt “incredibly proud” as it would allow her son to continue to inspire other artists.

She said Cody had been “hooked” on playing “as soon as he touched the keys” as a young boy and would often said he wished there was a public piano in Douglas.

After his death, £2,400 was raised via wellbeing breathing sessions and the project was created alongside Manx charity Soundcheck, which supports young people interested in music who cannot afford instruments.

The organisation had already earmarked a piano for a similar scheme, and agreed, after receiving government permission, that it should be installed in the departures lounge at the island’s ferry port in Cody’s memory.

Fiona Helleur from the charity said the idea behind the project was to “bring music and joy into peoples’ lives” and the piano would be an “asset to the island”.

The public piano features artwork by Cody’s brother Teo, who said he had been inspired by how his sibling would use playing as “his escape”.

The blue colour scheme, with hills and sky, represented Cody “being at peace”, he added.

Ms Atzori said she hoped the piano would help people without access to the instrument at home to discover they wanted to learn to play.

She said it would be a way for her son to continue “collaborating with and inspiring musicians”.

“I feel incredibly proud of him, that he’ll always be remembered in this way,” she said.

“This is his legacy, its just perfect for him.”