Yu Jia began learning pipa at the age of four from her father Yu Song Lin, and entered the Central Conservatory of Music’s Junior Department at age of nine. She has studied under pipa master Li Guanghua and won numerous awards. In 1997, she graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In the same year, she joined SCO, and is currently SCO’s pipa principal. In 2018, Yu Jia entered the China Conservatory of Music to study a Master's degree in pipa. She graduated in 2021 and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in zhongruan. 

Yu Jia was invited by the National Experimental Chinese Orchestra in Taipei and its conductor, Chen Teng-Hsiung, to take part in a collaborative project and performance, the Ink-splashed Immortal. In Mexico, Yu Jia has also shared the stage with conductor, Chen Zuohuang, to perform a pipa concerto, Spring & Autumn. Working with Taiwanese label Poem Culture, she has recorded four pipa albums dedicated to solo and concerto music. Over the past few years, she has also been invited to participate in arts festivals in Denmark, Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore, receiving good reviews for her appearances.

In SCO, Yu Jia has performed as a soloist with many well-known conductors in concerti such as The River Red, Se, Anger, Capriccio of the Ancient Path, Hua Mu Lan, Spring & Autumn and Joy of a Toast & Whirling Dance. SCO has specially invited well-known composer Liu Xijin and Kuan Nai-chung to compose pipa and erhu concerto, Tian Yuan and pipa concerto, Flying Asparas. The award-winning piece performed by Yu Jia – pipa concerto Arise, You Lion of Glory! – won the Composition Award first prize at the Singapore International Competition for Chinese Orchestral Composition 2015 and also garnered the most votes from the audiences.