Pianist, composer and classical music teacher, was born in Rome. His first compositions (Sonatina 1982 for piano, Tre liriche for soprano and piano) illustrated his tendency towards a heterogeneous style representing a synthesis of classical and popular tradition. Subsequently, as the result of an interest in music form research, his work turned towards avant-garde techniques.
During this early period he composed works such as Solo 1° for flute, Solo 2° for Bb clarinet (1984), Versi for voice and Bb clarinet (1985), Composizione 1985 for harp (1985), Haiku for violin (1987), Due Studi for viola (1990) and String quartet n.1 (1990).
He had already reconsidered his avant-garde tendency when he composed Quattro canzoni da camera for voice and piano (1990), followed by Liedchen for soprano and piano (1991) and, more definitely, with the vocal cycle Le canzoni di Adriana (1992) for voice and piano. However, it was Don Perlimplino (1993), a chamber opera for four singers and fifteen instruments which marked his first effort to achieve a language synthesis.
Between 1995 and 1997 he composed Sedici canzoni for voice and instruments, while the next few years saw the composition of a group of pieces for mixed a cappella choir: Libera me (1999), Missa brevis (1999/2000), Canzonette (2000/2001), Mottetti (2004/2006), Salmo 1° (2008), Due Cori di Mario Luzi (2009), Frammenti di Antigone (2010), Nero (2010).
In 2002 he composed the incidental music for the “Cyrano de Bergerac” of Anna Mazzamauro, including two arias for male soprano Simone Bartolini (Aria di guerra and Vocalizzo), and in 2003 completed Franco Battiato Hommage (ten lieder transcriptions of songs by the Sicilian singer-songwriter), again for the voice of Simone Bartolini.
In addition to composing music, Coppotelli wrote didactic works such as Due sonatine brevi for piano (1980/84), Cinque studi facili for piano (1995), Kinderalbum for four-handed piano duet (1989), Filastrocche in fa (lyrics by Gianni Rodari, three cycles for children’s choir, piano and instruments, 1997/2004), Due salmi for children’s choir and piano (2004), Canzoni piccine (2009, lyrics by Bruno Zarzaca) as well as two scores for school plays: La tempesta for voices and instruments (2002), Gli strumenti smusicali for treble voices and five instruments (2005) and I nomi della Bellezza (2009).
Chamber works composed between 1998 and 2008 include: String quartet n.2 (1998), Meditazioni (first and second series) for flute and piano (1999), Tre improvvisi per pianoforte (1999), String quartet n.3 (2003), Due studi for violin and piano (2005), Trio n. 1 for violin, Bb clarinet and piano (2006), Quattro liriche for soprano and eight instruments (2008).
His compositions are published by Pizzicato Edizioni Musicali, Edizioni Carrara, EdiPan and Feniarco editions.