Paolo Calligaris was born in Palmanova in Italy, where he grew up and got his first experience in music. In 1993, he attended the class of G. Grassi at the Udine Music Conservatory for three years before continuing his bassoon studies first in Turin with V. Menghini and then in Castelfranco Veneto with Stefano Canuti. As a member of the Trio d’ance di Udine he was awarded prizes at numerous international chamber music competitions. From 1992 to 1997, Paolo was the solo bassoonist of the RTV Slovenia Orchestra.

In 1995, he became a member of the Slowind quintet, with which he won the Župančič Award and one of the most prestigious Slovenian national awards, the award of the Prešeren Fund. In 1997, he was named the first bassoonist of the Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra. Paolo taught bassoon and chamber music at the Klagenfurt Music Conservatorium in Austria for 12 years and still teaches at numerous summer workshops and music schools abroad.