Lardelli was born in Wellington in 1979 of Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Tūhoe descent.
[3] He enrolled at Victoria University of Wellington to study guitar and composition, where his lecturers were John Psathas, Ross Harris and Jack Body.
[4][5] In 2003–2004 he was composer in residence with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, a position he shared with Anthony Young.
[4][5] He received the Composers Association of New Zealand Trust Fund award in 2005.
He received a Creative New Zealand Edwin Carr Scholarship in 2006 which he used to study with Stefano Bellon in Venice.