Nikolai collaborated with many contemporary composers such as Sergei Nevskij, Kirill Tschernegin, Chaya Czernowin, etc. and received many creative impulses.

In the 22/23 concert-season he was invited to the chamber music laboratory as part of Bayern Komponiert, where he worked fruitfully with the composer and pianist Christoph Grund, the cellist of SWR-Orchestra Markus Tiller and the composer Minas Borboudakis. In addition, as part of the laboratory, a CD was recorded with Nikolai and other members on which he performs the works of Chaya Czernowin and Per Nøgard.