Yu Jia was born into a music family in Beijing and began learning to play the Pipa when she was only 4 years old. She went to perform on stage at the age of five and took part in competition at seven. She entered the Central Conservatory of Music at the age of 9 in 1993.

Yu Jia was good both in character and in scholarship during her stay in the Central Conservatory of Music. She studied under Professors Li Guanghua, Liu Dehai and Lin Shicheng. She graduated from there in July 1997. In October 1997, she was employed by Singapore Chinese Orchestra and served as the chief of the voice part and a soloist there.

Yu Jia won many awards in Pipa performance competitions in 1989, 1994, 1995 and 1999. She performed Pipa in many countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.

Yu Jia has adept performing skills, good music attainment, and elegant performing style. As an artist, Yu Jia is versatile and she was trained in a ballet troupe at the age of eight and also mastered basic skills of Guqin, piano, guitar and drawing.

Yu Jia is taken as a master of Pipa by audiences and experts at home and abroad.