Jard van Nes begins her vocal studies with Herman Woltman at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and studies interpretation with Felix Nobel and Pierre Bernac amongst others. Jard van Nes is a concert, oratorio and Lieder singer who also appears in opera. She is a laureate of the International Vocal Competition in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1978 and of the International Opera and Bel Canto Competition in 1981. She received the Netherlands Music Prize in 1984, after further studies with Christa Ludwig and Noëmie Perugia. Her participation in the finals of the IVC in 1978 marked her international breakthrough. Initially a contralto, she developed her mezzo soprano repertoire and became one of the foremost singers of her generation both in the Netherlands and abroad. Jard van Nes made her debut with the Nederlandse Opera Stichting in Handel’s Rodelinda in the role of Bertarido. She performed roles in operas by Handel, Wagner, Verdi and Richard Strauss and also took the title role in the world premiere of Theo Loevendie’s Naima in the 1985 Holland Festival.

Her appearances abroad include performances at the Salzburg Festival (Mozart Die Zauberflöte and Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre) and in the USA, Canada and the Middle East. Her repertoire extends from early baroque works to pieces composed especially for her by Theo Loevendie, Tristan Keuris and Caroline Ansink amongst others. She is particularly renowned for her performances of Gustav Mahler’s works; she has performed his Lied von der Erde throughout the world and has also often sung in performances of the Second, Third and Eighth symphonies. Conductors with whom Jard van Nes has worked include Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Chailly, Reinbert de Leeuw, Kurt Masur, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Mariss Jansons, Mstislav Rostropovich, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Georg Solti, Hans Vonk and Edo de Waart.

Jard van Nes was jury president for the 51st International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Lied Duo division, in 2016. In 2014 she gave masterclasses with Christa Ludwig and David Selig at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague in participation with the IVC.

Jard van Nes now devotes all her time to her work as a singing teacher.