'aria' is a short, lyrical work for violin and orchestra, written by Euchar Gravina for violinist Stefan Calleja and recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Composed during 2020–21, it grew from exchanges between composer and performer, mostly conducted online during the first year of the pandemic. Gravina and Calleja shared melody fragments, recordings, and pastiche sketches as a starting point. They explored colour, phrasing, the soloist’s approach to shaping musical material, as well as Calleja's repertoire interests.

The resulting work flows like a meandering song. The violin’s expressive lines are echoed across the orchestra, particularly in dialogue with the orchestra’s leader (in this recording, fellow Maltese musician and LSO co-leader Carmine Lauri), evoking a warm, pulsating and sinuous resonance across the whole ensemble. Developed through a partnership with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the work forms part of the MPO’s ongoing celebration of both Maltese musicians and composers.