The concept of the piano originated with the invention of the harpsichord, a similar instrument that used plucked strings to produce sound. In the 1600s, Italian instrument makers such as Bartolomeo Cristofori are credited with pioneering enhancements to the harpsichord's mechanism, introducing hammers that struck the strings instead of plucking them. This ultimately led to the creation of the pianoforte, which combined both hammer and string mechanisms and gave musicians greater control over dynamics.
Therefore, while there isn't a single individual who can be pointed to as the very first person to play the piano, the advancements made by figures like Bartolomeo Cristofori and others in the 17th and 18th centuries played a pivotal role in the emergence and development of the piano as the versatile and widely used instrument it is today.