Stephen Barchan studied composition with Richard Steinitz at the University of Huddersfield and Edwin Roxburgh at Birmingham Conservatoire, supported by the EMI Music Sound Foundation and graduating from the MMus course with Distinction in 2006. He was awarded two scholarships by OCNM to attend seminars given by Louis Andriessen, Rebecca Saunders and Tristan Murail at Ostrava Days 2003 and 2005, plus a bursary from the Royal Academy of Music to attend Open Academy in 2008.

From 2010-11 he was a member of the London Sinfonietta Collective and a Britten-Pears Young Artist from 2012-13. During 2011-14 he served as Chair of the Composers Forum for London New Wind Festival.

Performances and broadcasts of his work have been given throughout the UK and abroad by many distinguished organisations and performers including Aldeburgh Music, BBC Radio, BCMG, Endymion, Gerry Cornelius, Jane Manning, London Sinfonietta, LSO Discovery, Mimi Doulton, Park Lane Group, Peter Donohoe, Psappha, Riot Ensemble, Royal Musical Association and Tête à Tête.

Recent premieres include 'At Sevens and Nines' for solo oboe, performed by Catherine Pluygers at Burgh House, and 'Woodland Mist' for solo piano, performed by Emelia Noack-Wilkinson in the Old Library at Dulwich College. Scored for an ensemble of seventeen players, 'Ice Floes at Twilight' (from 'Three Forms of Water') received its first performance in the 27th London New Wind Festival at The Warehouse in 2024, conducted by David Sutton-Anderson.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Tutor in Composition and Music Theory at Dulwich Music Academy.