She was born in Istanbul, Turkey, granddaughter of General Osman Nuri Koptagel, a commander in the Turkish War of Independence.

From 1948 to 1955 she studied piano, harmony, counterpoint and fugue under composer and conductor Cemal Reşit Rey.

In 1957 she was accepted to the Conservatoire de Paris where she worked with Tony Aubin, Alexandre Tansman, and Lazare Levy.

After completing her studies, Koptagel took a position with the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and worked as a pianist and composer.

Yüksel Koptagel was influenced by Turkish rhythms and motifs in her early works (e.g. Tamzara and Toccata).