In 1977, at the age of 17, multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum founded the 17-piece Hieroglyphics Ensemble, which has thrived for two decades. The Hieroglyphics Ensemble recorded two relelases for Antilles/Polygram, and appeared on long-time collaborator Don Cherry's CD "Multikulti" (A&M). The band has opened for the Grateful Dead, won the Down Beat critics' poll for Big Band Deserving Wider Recognition, and appeared at major festivals in the U.S. and abroad.

This summer, the Hieroglyphics Ensemble premiered a work composed especially for them by Richard Muhal Abrams. Apfelbaum received a Grammy nomination in 1991 for the composition "Candles and Stones," and was commissioned to write for the Kronos Quartet, the Bay Area Jazz Composers Orchestra and the National Swedish Radio Orchestra.

In 1994 Apfelbaum formed his Sextet, which recorded "Luminous Charms" for Gramavision/Ryko. He has worked with Cecil Taylor, Nana Vasconcelos, Jim Pepper, Eddie Jefferson, Carla Bley, Don Buchla, and Karl Berger among others.