Money has been raised to restore and redecorate an old piano in the memory of Cody Atzori, a young musician who died at the age of 17 in 2021.

The project has seen Cody’s older brother, Teo, redecorate the piano in his brother’s image, which his family now hope can be installed at the Sea Terminal in Douglas for anyone to use.

In order to raise money for the piano, Cody’s family hosted a charity ‘Wim Hof’ event in collaboration with SoundCheck Isle of Man.

This event focused on controlled breathing and well-being exercises – the technique that Cody used himself to help with his bipolar disorder and anxiety.

The money raised went to SoundCheck, which used the money to buy and restore the piano.

Martin Katz, a director at the charity, said: ‘Cody’s family wanted to raise money for a local charity in memory of him and, as we are very connected with local music, it was a good choice for them.

‘We came up with the idea of the piano because Cody always wanted a public piano in the island. I have spoken to Stu Peters MHK at the Department of Infrastructure, who thinks it is fabulous idea, so hopefully we see the piano installed there very soon.’

This isn’t the first time that Cody’s family have raised money for charity. In July 2022, they released an album of Cody’s music, and titled the album ‘Whispicity’, a title that Cody had invented himself.

All proceeds that were made from this album were donated to Compassionate Friends, a charity in the UK that aims to support bereaved siblings and parents.

Teo Atzori, an aspiring artist and one of Cody’s three siblings, said: ‘This has been a real family project for us. My mum and dad sanded the piano down and made sure it was ready for me to paint.

‘The meaning behind the artwork is that my brother used to play the piano as an escape from his mental health issues, so I’ve made the scene of a peaceful place to represent the tranquillity that Cody felt when he was playing.

‘It would be great if the piano was put in the Sea Terminal, as it gives Cody the chance to connect with others through his passion for music while giving others the chance to showcase their passion and art like he did.’

Cody’s mother, Liz Atzori, claims that the lack of public pianos in the island was a driving factor in her family’s decision to pursue this project. ‘Cody was a self-taught musician, and we didn’t have a piano in our home, so he relied on public pianos to teach himself this skill that provided him with an escape from his problems,’ she said.

‘There are three public pianos in Liverpool city centre that Cody would always play on, and it’s such a shame that there is a lack of these in the island.

‘It would be the perfect legacy to Cody if this piano was installed at such a popular place in the island.

‘I really hope Stu Peters and the Department of Infrastructure allow this, as it’s the perfect tribute to him and his passion.’