Michael Stephenson is not classically trained and is largely self-taught. Since joining New Music Brighton in 2001, he has had around 20 pieces premiered. In 2007 there were performances of I AM PAGAN by Southern Winds, his settings of the Wilfred Owen war poems DULCE ET DECORUM EST and I SAW HIS ROUND MOUTH'S CRIMSON sung by Jane Richards, and 30 GHOSTS played by Talkestra in the Brighton Festival Fringe (this same piece was also work-shopped by the De Ereprijs ensemble in May). The year ended with a performance of a 2002 work called IT WAS SO CLEAR played by the NMB ensemble. 2008 has seen a further Brighton Festival Fringe/Talkestra performance of 30 GHOSTS and a repeat performance of DULCE ET DECORUM EST sung by Jane Richards, accompanied by Mark Richey.