Aparna is among the few fortunate ones who has had the good fortune of being raised in a family steeped in music. Music is a legacy she has inherited - a legacy she has been taught to cherish and care for deeply, from her early years.
At the age of ten, she began learning music under the expert guidance of her beloved father late Pt. Arvind Apte, who was himself a well-known exponent of the Kirana Gharana and a disciple of Dr. Pt. Firoz Dastur. Later, she became a disciple of Pt. Kartik Kumar. Her next Guru was Mrs. Zarin Sharma. Aparna has also had the opportunity to learn the gaiki style in Sitar from Pt. S.C.R. Bhatt.
A graduate in History and Home Science, Aparna completed her post graduation in music with merit from the S.N.D.T University. She also has to her credit, a diploma in Japanese language.
Along with their father Pt. Arvind Apte, Aparna and her sister Aboli have performed abroad in the USA at Washington, New Jersey, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Albuquerque, Sanfrancisco, Cleveland, Los Angeles. In 1993 Aparna and Aboli also gave a jugalbandi performance at Pt. Hariprasadji's 'Vrindavan Academy' in Hong Kong. Among Aparna’s many achievements is also included the prestigious ‘Surmani Award’ of Sur Singar Sansad, Mumbai, which she received in 1992. She has also cut a L.P with her former Guru Pt. Kartik Kumar.
An 'A' grade artist for Cine Musical Association, Aparna regularly gives back-ground music scores for Hindi films and documentaries with well-known music directors like Anand-Milind, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal etc. Also, she accompanies for Odissi Dance and semi classical songs. Aparna also judges classical, semi classical and instrumental music competitions.