Inspirations on Music From a Mother & Daughter
Jennifer Bouch grew up in Ormond Beach, FL. In the spring of 1997, she graduated from Florida State University and married Gabriel Bouch. She and Gabe remained at FSU as campus ministers from 1998 until 2006, during which time they had their first 4 children: Clara, Hayley, Miriam, and Calvin.
In 2006, just before her 30th birthday, she and Gabe and their 4 children pulled into their new driveway in an apartment in New Jersey, a state she had never before set foot in. But the initial New Jersey years were a thriving season of community and homeschooling. In 2010 their 5th child, Peter, was born, and in 2011 Gabe took the reins as lead pastor of Freedom Church of Philadelphia. So in 2012 the Bouch Family moved to Philadelphia, just in time to add the exclamation point to their family: child number 6, Victoria Love. In 2015 they moved back across the Delaware River to Cherry Hill, NJ.
Presently Jennifer still homeschools the two youngest children, teaches piano to numerous children in her neighborhood, and genuinely enjoys any down time (aka any non-homeschool time) with her family. She praises God that He gave her the ability to birth and raise 6 amazing children who daily challenge, comfort, and amuse her. She is especially grateful for her relationship with each of her 3 adult daughters. 3 John 4 states her heart perfectly: “I have no greater joy than to know that my children are walking in the truth.”
MOTHER: Jennifer Bouch
My favorite way to reflect God and being made in His image is by creating beautiful things. Whether it’s through composing a piece of music, doing my makeup, writing a letter to a friend or crafting a thoughtful Instagram story, I love to create. When my sisters and I were little, I would spend hours arranging furniture pieces for our Polly Pockets until their houses were “perfect” (or at least until the extreme perfectionist in me was satisfied). I also remember running around outside, gathering sticks, sap, leaves or anything I could find to make fairy houses or “food” to eat for tea time. (The Anne of Green Gables streak in me was strong.)
In my teenage years I discovered a passion for creating with others — specifically, the joy of playing in an orchestra. Up until this point, piano had been my primary instrument, but at age 13 the fun of performing in ensembles shifted my attention to focusing on the violin. And then around age 16 my mom had the idea for me to learn the viola, which I happily obliged, and a year later I made the switch. My violist friends all welcomed me to “the dark side.” Almost instantly after this switch, God opened door after door and I got to participate in my dream music programs around the world. In 2018, I got into my top choice school, Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, and in just one week leading up to my first days at college, I had travelled from Seoul, South Korea, back home to New Jersey, to Los Angeles for school, and then to Edinburgh, Scotland for an orchestra tour.
In May 2022, I graduated from Colburn and spent the summer afterwards in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, at the music program Music Academy. I am now back in New Jersey, living at home, playing professionally with the orchestra Symphony in C, teaching piano lessons, nannying, and composing new music. This summer I will be traveling to Taipei, Taiwan to stay for a number of months and help out with the Every Nation church there. I eagerly anticipate what God will lead me into next, and I’m so excited for whatever He will unfold. But one thing I know for sure: He will always use me to create beauty for Him.