The Canadian footballer brightening a Napier backpackers with his piano skills

Gavin Hoy spends his lunch breaks playing piano at Toad Hall Backpackers a few times a week. Photo / Warren Buckland

Canadian footballer Gavin Hoy has become a regular face at Toad Hall Backpackers in Napier.

Not because he is staying there, but for the music he plays on their piano.

Since moving to New Zealand about three years ago to play football, Hoy has found himself missing his piano in Canada.

A couple of months ago he saw the piano in the backpacker's reception while on his lunch break and decided to go in to play.

And he's been doing so a couple of times a week ever since, becoming a hit with the staff.

Despite not staying at the backpackers, Toad Hall manager Michelle Sankey is happy to let him come in when he likes.

Letting him use the piano was an obvious choice for her.

While not watching as to not embarrass him, she listens while she works.

"I think it's really awesome, I've heard him singing a few times. I'm not musical at all so I really appreciate the musical talent."

The guests who have heard him play also seem to enjoy it.

"They don't tell me to stop, which is nice," Hoy said.

Without a piano where he lives, he keeps up practice on what has become his new favourite piano in Hawke's Bay.

"People, when they're having a good day, they sing.

"It makes me feel good to sing and play, it makes my day better. I'd never pass up a chance to make my day better."

His mother has always had a piano and tried to make him take lessons as a child which he rejected.

However, a few years later while in high school he started to learn songs from YouTube.

Hoy doesn't know chords or read sheet music but instead memorises how to play individual songs.

Learning a song can take between a day and a week depending on the difficulty and memorising it takes about a week.

The first song he learnt was Mad World and his favourite is Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.

"It's a fantastic song, and plus, Leonard Cohen is Canadian."

The backpackers is currently cleaning up after a flood in the piano room but Hoy will be back in the next couple of days to play again when it re-opens.