Note: This site has become an archive, and I know do most of my writing on jonathanvieker.com. If you’re looking for my latest stuff, check there!

I’m Jonathan Vieker, a trumpet player who’s been living with a severe lip injury since May 7, 2010. I created The Lip Rip Blues to help brass players understand lip injuries.

The morning after I got hurt, as I made a cup of coffee and sat down at the computer to figure out what was wrong with the muscle in my lip, I discovered quickly that there just wasn’t enough information available about embouchure injuries.

This site is my attempt to do something about that.

What I Write About

• My injury (a stretched, and later torn, lip muscle), surgery, and recovery, as well as the musical and personal development that have come from the experience
• What to do if you think you might be injured, and what to do if you’re healthy and want to stay that way (see the categories on the right)
• My thoughts on how we can develop as trumpet players, musicians, and people

Where to Start

• If you’re brand new to the site, you might want to start by reading my story.
• Contact me if you’re injured or think you might be injured, or even if you’d just like to say “hi!” I offer free Skype or phone consultations to injured players. I don’t have all the answers, but I’d can usually point you in the right direction!

About Jonathan Vieker

I’m from the St. Louis area originally, and I graduated from Truman State University before earning my Master’s in Trumpet Performance at the University of New Mexico in 2011. While living in Albuquerque, I worked as a freelance musician and music teacher, playing gigs of every stripe while teaching trumpet lessons, preschool music, middle school rock band and college ear training at UNM. I’m lucky to have studied primarily with Greg Jones, Jeff Piper, John Marchiando, and Bobby Shew.

In 2012, my wife and I moved back to Missouri, and I began a career in higher education administration. My trumpet abilities have been slowly returning since my 2011 lip surgery, and as of spring 2014, I’m happy to say I’m finally playing at a high level again!

My non-trumpet interests include playing keyboard (and trumpet) with Deadwood (my blues/classic rock band), reading, running/biking, pursuing the perfect cup of coffee, and eating very spicy food.