Born in Buenos Aires, Castriota spent his childhood in the nearby town of San Miguel where he learned to play the guitar "by ear" that is without reading music.

He returned to Buenos Aires at age 16 and began performing in small ensembles while also learning to play the piano.

Eventually, however, he returned to his musical hobby and played piano in a trio that included himself, Vicente Loduca on bandoneon and Francisco Canaro on violin.

In the middle of the first decade of the twentieth century, Castriota released an instrumental tango, and Pascual Contursi provided lyrics.

Contursi had added lyrics to tangos composed by other artists, but not with the success that came from the collaboration with Castriota on Mi noche triste.