Celerio's affinity for music was a result of influence from his mother who is a harpist and a member of a church choir.

At his mother's encouragement, Celerio started playing the violin at age 11 taking lessons from a member of the Philippine Constabulary Band.

[5] Levi Celerio was a member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra but his stint with the musical troupe ended when he fell off a tree and broke his wrist.

[6] Prior to turning to songwriting, Celerio got involved in poetry and was a humorist in the orchestra of Premiere Productions.

Later in his career, he had Filipino Palindromes and Take It From Levi, a collection of love poems he wrote published.

[6] Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he composed are "Ikaw", "Kahit Konting Pagtingin", "Saan Ka Man Naroroon?

He also composed folk songs including "Ako ay May Singsing", "Ang Pipit", "Dungawin Mo Hirang", "Itik-Itik", "Pitong Gatang", and "Waray-Waray"[1] "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan", in particular, was a collaboration with Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist.

[4] "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit", officially titled "Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon" is an example of a well-known Christmas song by Celerio,[4] which was the Tagalog version from the original Cebuano song, Kasadya Ning Taknaa, by Vicente Rubi and Mariano Vestil.

[7] He also wrote the Christmas carols "Pasko Na Naman" and "Noche Buena" with composer Felipe Padilla de León in 1965.

[8] His citation read that his music "was a perfect embodiment of the heartfelt sentiments and valued traditions of the Filipino".

[2] Celerio died in the afternoon of April 2, 2002, at the Delgado Clinic in Kamuning, Quezon City due to multiple organ dysfunction.