DJ Cheek joined the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra as Principal Viola in August 2021, and made his solo debut with the orchestra in 2023 performing the Bartók Viola Concerto. Prior to his current appointment, DJ played Principal Viola in the Jacksonville Symphony. In recent years he appeared as guest Principal with the Indianapolis Symphony and IRIS Orchestra in Tennessee, 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 such as Music@Menlo, the Perlman Music Program, Lucerne, Sarasota, Olympic, and Yellow Barn. DJ performed as a guest artist with Donald Weilerstein and Kim Kashkashian in support of Music for Food, and he continues to perform with the Music for Food chapter in Fort Worth. DJ earned a master’s degree under the tutelage of Kim Kashkashian at New England Conservatory and he holds bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College-Conservatory, where he studied with Peter Slowik. He was further mentored by Beth Guterman Chu.