Calandrelli's mother was a skilled pianist. Both his father and grandfather were medical doctors and expected him to follow their path. At age 4, Calandrelli started playing the piano by ear and took lessons at age 8. In his late teens, with both of his parents' support, Calandrelli traveled to Europe to pursue a career in music. He arrived in Los Angeles in 1968 and collaborated with composer and arranger Clare Fischer. Inspired by him, Calandrelli decided to go back to Argentina and continue honing his skills. He later returned to the United States with recommendation letters from the record labels he had worked with in Argentina. He recorded Russian-American conductor Andre Kostelanetz and a 65-piece orchestra at CBS' studio in New York. Calandrelli started arranging for different artists, achieving wider recognition in 1981 with first Grammy Award nomination for Best Instrumental Arrangement for his work on "Forget the Woman" by Eddie Daniels. In 1987, he was nominated three times at the 29th Grammy Awards: in the Best Arrangement on an Instrumental category for "Solfeggietto/Metamorphosis" by Eddie Daniels and "The First Letter" from The Color Purple soundtrack and in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals category for Tony Bennett's version of Daniels' "Forget The Woman ". Calandrelli's work with Bennett includes twelve recorded albums, six Grammy Nominations and two Grammy Awards won. Bennett's 2011 album "Duets II", arranged and conducted by Calandrelli debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts. This same No. 1 debut was achieved by Bennett's 2014 collaborative album with Lady Gaga "Cheek To Cheek", also arranged and orchestrated by Calandrelli. He has arranged and conducted on eight Barbra Streisand albums, including "A Love Like Ours", "", "The Christmas Collection" and "Walls". He is also credited on four Celine Dion albums, including "A New Day Has Come" and "One Heart". His work with cellist Yo-Yo Ma has earned him two Grammy Awards and three nominations. Calandrelli produced, played the piano, composed, arranged and conducted Plácido Domingo's 2008 album "Amore Infinito", based on lyrics by Pope John Paul II. The album contains duets by Josh Groban, Katherine Jenkins, Andrea Bocelli, Vanessa Williams and Plácido Domingo Jr.
Calandrelli has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for his work on The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee
