DJ Cheek

About DJ

DJ Cheek joined the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra as Principal Viola in August 2021, and made his debut with the orchestra in 2023 performing the Bartók Viola Concerto. Prior to his current appointment, DJ played Principal Viola for four seasons in the Jacksonville Symphony. In recent years he appeared as guest Principal with the Indianapolis Symphony and as a substitute with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra. DJ plays Principal Viola at the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, and he teaches at the Texas Chamber Music Institute and the Interlochen Adult Chamber Music Camp. He previously taught viola and chamber music at the University of North Florida and the National Music Festival. He has appeared at festivals like Music@Menlo, the Perlman Music Program, Lucerne, Sarasota, Olympic, and Yellow Barn. DJ performed as a guest artist with Donald Weilerstein and Kim Kashkashian as part of Music for Food, and he continues to perform with the Music for Food chapter in Fort Worth. DJ holds a master’s degree from New England Conservatory and a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College-Conservatory, where he studied with Kim Kashkashian and Peter Slowik, respectively. He was further mentored by Beth Guterman Chu.