Vaughn Wiester's performance experience began in high school under the tutelage of Robert H. Bechtel. While in high school, he played and arranged for the Riley Norris Band. After a hitch as a navy trombonist, Vaughn Wiester came to Columbus in 1968 to attend Ohio State University and to join the Dave Workman Blues Band.
In 1972 he became a member of the Jazz Arts Group led by Ray Eubanks. Wiester was invited to join the Woody Herman orchestra in 1974.

After two years on the road with Herman, Vaughn returned to Columbus to accept a position at the Dave Wheeler Contemporary Music Workshop and to resume his activities with the Jazz Arts Group as a bass trombonist and arranger.  In 1977, Wiester was invited to join the faculty at Capital University as part of their pioneering Jazz Studies degree program. Throughout this 17-year association, he taught courses in jazz arranging and jazz history aid directed the prize-winning Big Band Sound Big Band.  In 1980 Wiester joined the Terry Waldo Ragtime Orchestra.

Wiester's arrangements can be heard on recordings by Woody Herman, Waldo's Ragtime Orchestra, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and the Keith Henson Octet.

In 1992 Wiester was inducted as an honorary member of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha.

Wiester's current activities include his 22-piece Famous Jazz Orchestra, appearing weekly at the Clintonville Woman's Club; and an 8-piece group, Brasileira, a band devoted to the popular music of Brazil.