David Garrett plays for President Obama in Berlin

19 June 2013, 19:06

The German-American violin star performed in front of the Brandenburg Gate ahead of Obama's speech this afternoon.

David Garrett played his trademark mix of rock and classical violin in front of President Obama this afternoon. He entertained the 4,000-strong audience, which also included German politicians Guido Westervelle, Ronald Pofalla and Peter Ramsauer, ahead of Obama's much-anticipated speech in Germany's capital.

"It's a great honour to play here," he said, before performing the German and American national anthems. He also treated the audience to a slightly less formal rendition of American 80s rock classic, Eye of the Tiger.

Obama is visiting Berlin for the first time during his presidency, with this afternoon's speech being a highlight of the trip. The speech marks almost 50 years since President John F. Kennedy visited in Berlin in 1963, and proclaimed the famous sentence: 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'