Deborah Brooks has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony since 1976 and served as Associate Principal Cellist for 18 years. Although Brooks resigned her position in 1999 to expand her freelance and contracting career, she performed regularly with the FWSO until rejoining as a Section Cellist in 2008. Brooks has also been the solo cellist for Casa Manana Musicals from 1981 - 2019 and is in the core pit orchestra of the Dallas Summer Musicals since 1998, performing national tours that come through Fort Worth and Dallas.

In 2000, Brooks launched her contracting career, now DFW Musicians Services LLC, which has established a national reputation for excellence. http://www.dfwmusiciansservices.com

In addition to performing, her heart for the developing student has led her to the faculty of the University of North Texas where she teaches the Cello Orchestral Excerpt class. From 2009 to 2015, she taught the first Music Career Development class at UNT. Brooks serves on the Development Board of the UNT College of Music and Advisory Board of the UNT College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. From 2000-2006, Brooks served on the Board of the UNT Alumni Association, two of which were on the Executive Board and chaired the Student Outreach and Marketing committees. Brooks has always maintained a private teaching studio since 1975. 

Other board activities include serving as vice-president of Texas Camerata, an early-music group based in Fort Worth and vice-president of the DFW Chapter of Theatre Musicians Association. Brooks currently is the ICSOM Representative for the FWSO.

Brooks attended two summers at the Berkshire Music Center as a fellow at Tanglewood, MA, and won prizes both summers. Brooks received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in cello performance at UNT under the tutelage of Argentinian cellist Adolfo Odnoposoff.