Christmas came early this year at Kiama Anglican Church with the gift of music.

On Sunday night, locals were welcomed once again to Santa Mental, a performance by world-class violinist Daniel Röhn.

Röhn comes from a long family line of violinists, with both his grandfather Erich Röhn and his father Andreas Röhn passing on their talent.

He is widely regarded as one of today’s outstanding violinists, and Kiama is fortunate that he continues to return for his classical concerts.

The performance featured works by Bach, Chopin, Debussy and more, with Röhn showcasing his skills on violin, piano, and even adding in moments of stand-up comedy.

A standout piece was the modern composition Cadeza by Penderecki. While the piece isn’t the softest, Röhn demonstrated impressive precision and complete control of the violin. 

Audience members were heard sniffling during his rendition of Partita No. 3 in E, BWV 1006 by Bach, and he closed the night with White Christmas by Berlin.

Encouraging guests to fully immerse themselves, Röhn said: “it's a moment for us all to just sit and see what the music does to us.”

In true Röhn style, the music continued longer than expected, but attendees were more than happy to enjoy the extra time.

Röhn draws returning audiences year after year, and his Kiama supporters remain strong.

While another concert hasn’t been announced yet, Röhn told us to “watch this space!” so if you missed out, there may be another chance.