Joy Yu Hoffman was born into a musical family. Her father, Yu Zhong Hai, was a famous musician and music educator in China. She has had a distinguished career as a pianist and harpist both in China and in the United States. She received her Diploma of Harp Performance at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music, a Bachelor's degree from Roosevelt University and a Master's degree from Northwestern University. She studied harp under Yue Ping Chieu, Elizabeth Cifani, and Edward Druzinsky. She won first prize for harp performance in the Young Artists Competition in Harbin, China, and also spent twelve seasons as an opera coach at the Harbin Opera Company.

During her sixteen years in the United States, she won a piano concerto competition and numerous scholarships both at Roosevelt and Northwestern. She has been on the faculty of Roosevelt University. She is the principal harpist of the Illinois Chamber and the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestras. Busy as a symphony musician, soloist, opera and chamber music player, she has performed in live radio and TV broadcasts and has made recordings in the Chicago area. Ms. Hoffman teaches many harp and piano students in her large private studio.

At the end of 1999, she released "Ballad", her first Kong Hou CD, with her own compositions and arrangements. As a classical and folk harpist, Joy Yu toured many states, including Hawaii, Washington, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. As a Christian music missionary. Joy has toured China, Hong Kong, Korea, Kenya, and the Republic of South Africa with His Command Performance.