The Enrichment Center Percussion Ensemble was formed in 1997 by its director, multi-instrumentalist and composer Aaron Bachelder, from interested students at the Enrichment Center in Winston-Salem, NC, an arts-based day program for adults with disabilities. In doing so, he established something that had never been before- a professional performing group whose members have developmental disabilities. In spite of their lack of prior musical experience, the group began performing within months of its inception, and had soon performed for thousands of people in and around Winston-Salem. Among their early notable performances was one at the opening of memorialist and architect Maya Lin's first sculpture exhibit (at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, where they went on to perform dozens of times), and frequent performances representing both The Arts Council and The United Way of Forsyth County. The group quickly began attracting the attention of other artists, and a number of collaborations followed, including multiple performances with dance/theater groups Chimaera Physical Theater, the African- American Dance Ensemble, and the Open Dream Ensemble of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

In 2000, Bachelder was asked to compose a new work for violinist and NC School of the Arts professor Sarah Johnson, accompanied by the ECPE, for her new CD entitled "Fiddler's Galaxy" (Albany Records, 2000). The resultant work, "Nomos", was described by the online journal New Music Box as being among works that "might as well be for electronics, the use of the instruments is so sonically interesting" (along with John Cage and Roger Reynolds). American Record Guide described it as "delicate" and "unfailingly attractive". Dr. Eugene Chadbourne, writing in Allmusic.com, called it "what makes this CD really special" and "inspired" (3 stars). Later, group member Marcie Haley began to gravitate more and more toward the drumset and away from other percussion instruments (Aaron subsequently put away his mallets in favor of a guitar) -this shift, among other factors, pushed the group in a direction toward rock and away from its contemporary classical roots.

Their next recording, "Three Pieces" (Microearth Records, 2005, with guests Morgan Kraft, Erich Hubner, and Joel Lambdin), presented this new conception of the group's sound: pop structures, textured with techniques and colors of classical minimalism as well as borrowings from various eastern musics. This recording, too, has been well received critically: Dr. Chadbourne, again in Allmusic.com, says, "the project is noble, virtuous, and capable of inflicting great genius on tobacco country... the opening 'Parallax' marks promising artistic heights" (3 1/2 stars). GoTriad called it "mesmerizing" and "hypnotically lush music" and stated that "the band layers soundscape upon soundscape, leaving me sifting through each listen, finding new and gorgeous elements to discover". Recently, the track "Parallax" was used in a commercial for the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, and the ECPE contributed a new piece, "Wintersong" to the WUAG (U of NC at Greensboro) live compilation, "18 Watts is Better Than None".

Since the recording of "Three Pieces", the group has gained two keyboardists, and two percussionists have left. The new lineup began work on a new record in October 2006, again with Morgan Kraft and Erich Hubner, as well as special guest Jeffrey Dean Foster. The album was mixed by Mitch Easter, mastered by Brent Lambert and has a release date of June 24, 2008.