Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825 - 1889) France Joseph Jean Baptist Laurent Arban (28 February 1825 - 9 April 1889) was a cornetist, conductor, pedagogue and the first famed virtuoso of the cornet à piston or valved cornet. He was influenced by Niccolò Paganini's virtuosic technique on the violin and in an (arguably successful) attempt to 'prove' the cornet as a true solo instrument, developed extreme virtuosic technique on the instrument.