For twenty years (1969–1989) Weilerstein was the first violinist of the renowned Cleveland Quartet, with whom he toured the world. His recordings with the quartet can be heard on the RCA, Telarc, CBS, Phillips, and Pro Arte labels.

Weilerstein has taught and performed at such major American and European music festivals as Caramoor, Tanglewood, Aspen, Marlboro, Mostly Mozart, Salzburg, Luzern, Verbier, Ishikawa, Keshet Eilon, “Chamber Music Encounters” sponsored by La Cite de la Musique and the Paris Conservatory and many more. He regularly teaches and performs at the Steans Institute in Ravinia, the Yellow Barn Music Festival, and at the Perlman Music Program.

He also performs as a duo recitalist with pianist Vivian Hornik Weilerstein. The Duo was enthusiastically received at Alice Tully Hall and the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and in the major American cities. Their discography includes the complete works of Ernest Bloch for violin and piano, and the Janacek, Dohnanyi, and Enescu Sonatas for Arabesque, as well as the complete Schumann Sonatas for Azica Records.

Weilerstein is a very active as a member of the highly acclaimed Weilerstein Trio which is in residence at the New England Conservatory of Music. Their CD for Koch records was released in January 2006 and features trios of Dvorak.

Recently featured in Strad, Weilerstein was formerly a professor of violin and chamber music at the Eastman School and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is currently on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School. His students have been prize winners in major national and international competitions, including first prizes in the Indianapolis, Naumburg and Hanover competitions and 2nd prize in the Brussels competition. His students can be heard in many of today’s leading orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Donald Weilerstein occupies a teaching chair endowed in 2004 by the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation, with matching funds from the Nicholas Family Challenge.

Recordings on RCA, Telarc, CBS, Philips, Pro Arte, Arabesque, Azica. Former faculty of Cleveland Institute of Music, Paris Conservatoire, Eastman School of Music, Bowdoin College, Ithaca College, and SUNY/Buffalo. Also current faculty of Aspen Music Festival.