Koen van Stade had his first singing and organ lessons at the choir school of the North Holland Boys' Choir. He initially studied organ and church music with Jos van der Kooy; then afterwards solo singing with Peter Kooij and Max van Egmond at the Conservatorium in Amsterdam. He continued his studies with Paul Hameleers.

As a soloist he has made several radio and television broadcasts and about thirty cds, several of which have won international prizes such as the Diapason d'Or, Choc de la Musique, Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and a mark of 10/10 in the Dutch magazine " Luister". Koen van Stade has worked with conductors including Philippe Herreweghe, Jos van Veldhoven, Daniël Reuss, Hermann Max and Arild Remmereit.

As an ensemble singer he sings regularly with the Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam, the Chapelle Rhénane Strasbourg, and Collegium Vocale Gent. He also sings regularly with Cappella Amsterdam and the Groot Omroepkoor.

Koen van Stade has sung at festivals including the Flanders Festival, International Bach Festival Melbourne, Boston Early Music Festival, Tokyo Music Summer, Händel-Tage Halle, the Holland Festival Amsterdam, Utrecht Early Music Festival, and the Festival Musica Sacra Maastricht.