“Forty Days and Forty Nights”

Aoyama Gakuin University Choir is one of the leading chapel choirs in Tokyo, Japan. Based on Aoyama Gakuin's Methodist tradition, it provides music for services and ceremonies at the university. Composed in 1856 by George H. Smyttan, this standard from the Christian liturgy draws from Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness, symbolizing temptation, struggle, and resilience—themes relatable to youth facing modern challenges like peer pressure or self-doubt.