Biography

Nicolai is a Berlin-based composer and musician working across film, television, and contemporary music. He graduated top of his class in jazz drums and piano from the International Music College Freiburg, followed by a diploma in film music and sound design from the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg.

His compositions have earned him multiple awards, including the German Film Music Award (Deutscher Filmmusikpreis) and the Grimme-Preis.

Alongside his work for screen, Nicolai co-created IXIK, a music project that has accumulated millions of streams. He has performed internationally with various orchestras, jazz ensembles, and pop acts, collaborating with musicians from all over the world.

Filmography

  • Film

    • Fünf nach Zwölf

      2019 / Director: Tarek Röhlinger

    • Wait for me

      2018 / Director: Michael Binz

    • Mein ist die Rache

      2018 / Director: Antoine Dengler

    • Unter Strom

      2017 / Director: Clemens Roth

    • Millennials

      2017 / Director: Jana Bürgelin

    • When John Goes Outside

      2017 / Director: Bettina Tytko

    • Vernunft und Triebe

      2017 / Director: Bennet Meyer

    • Un État d’Urgence (Ein Ausnahmezustand)

      2016 / Director: Tarek Röhlinger

    • Flicker

      2016 / Director: Siegmund Skalar

    • Can’t Take My Eyes off You

      2016 / Director: Johannes Kizler

    • Cornerstories

      2016 / Director: Tarek Röhlinger

    • The Fantastic Love of Beeboy and Flowergirl

      2015 / Director: Clemens Roth

    • Some Thing

      2015 / Director: Elena Walf

    • Stammplatz

      2015 / Director: Tarek Röhlinger

    • Die Stille

      2015 / Director: Lily Erlinger

    • Perspektiven

      2015 / Director: Johannes Kizler

    • Le Cadeau

      2015 / Director: Vivien Hartmann

    • Dystopia

      2015 / Director: Tobias Haase

    • Artefrakt

      2014 / Director: Bennet Meyer & Iris Schwarz

    • Look Who’s Talking

      2014 / Director: Iris Schwarz & Shoko Hara

    • Doppelpunkt Klammer Zu

      2014 / Director: Iris Schwarz

    • Asteroids

      2014 / Director: Nikolai Maderthoner

    • Wollen

      2014 / Director: Maria Hilbert & Sarah Bergmann

    • Das Blühende Leben

      2013 / Director: Clemens Roth

    • Sidekick

      2013 / Director: Daniel Titz & Felix Zehender

    • Urknall

      2013 / Director: Bennet Meyer

    • High Wool

      2013 / Director: Nikolai Maderthoner & Moritz Mugler

    • 1050

      2013 / Director: Tobias Haase

    • Baumeln

      2013 / Director: Matisse Gonzalez & Maria Hilbert

    • Das Schreien der Stille

      2013 / Director: Adrian Copitzky

    • Droplit

      2013 / Director: Meike Müller & Manuel Rivoir & Lars Timmermann

    • Fäden

      2012 / Director: Frank Kayan

    • Mecarnicum

      2012 / Director: Dominik Stockhausen & Felix Zehender

    • Head Like a Kite

      2012 / Director: Clemens Roth

  • Commercial

    • Hammer Werbekampagne 2020

      2019

    • Hella ,Crying Men‘

      2019

    • Hammer Werbekampagne 2019

      2018

    • PETA ,Men of the Stone Age‘

      2018

    • MAC ,WH18′

      2018

    • Saudi Arabia ,Heroes Next to Heroes‘

      2018

    • PETA ,Old McDonald‘

      2018

    • Radeberger ,Die Reifeprüfung‘

      2017

    • Aesculap ‚Lass Dich Bewegen‘

      2017

    • Westwing ‚The Coup‘

      2017

    • Digel ‚SS18‘

      2017

    • Peek & Cloppenburg ‚Carolina‘

      2017

    • Peek & Cloppenburg ‚Ollie‘

      2017

    • Madeleine ‚Bambi‘

      2017

    • Joop ‚FS 17‘

      2016

    • Merck ‚Manifesto‘

      2016

    • Hugo Boss ‚Manifesto‘

      2016

    • Intrinsify.me

      2016

    • Saint Agur ‚Die Birne liebt Saint Agur‘

      2016

    • Peek & Cloppenburg ‚Johann‘

      2016

    • Peek & Cloppenburg ‚Edita‘

      2016

    • Peek & Cloppenburg ‚Julia‘

      2016

    • Nivea ‚Ich will alles‘

      2016

    • Nike ‚The Moon‘

      2015

    • Unilever ‚An Heirloom‘

      2015

    • Elbeo ‚König Elbeo‘

      2014

    • Black&Decker ‚Dustbuster‘

      2014

    • APM ‚Lichtblicke‘

      2014

    • Kreditkartensicherheit ‚Omi‘

      2014

    • Kreditkartensicherheit ‚Hand Auflegen‘

      2014

    • Justizministerium ‚Täter – Opfer – Ausgleich‘

      2014

    • Stöckli ‚Skimacherin‘

      2013

    • ITFS ‚Magic Mushroom‘

      2013

    • Hornbach ‚Miniatur‘

      2013

    • DFB ‚Große Spiele ein Leben lang teilen‘

      2013

  • Documentary

    • Genkingen – Ein schwäbisches Volksmärchen

      2017 / Director: Erol Papic & Valentin Kemmner

    • Millennials

      2017 / Director: Jana Bürgelin

    • Kurz erklärt ‚Hyponatriämie bei SIADH‘

      2017 / Director: Peter Stein, Thomas Galle

    • Something Changed in Me

      2014 / Director: Jana Bürgelin

    • Zirkuskind

      2013 / Director: Christine Schäfer

    • Abseits der Straße

      2013 / Director: Marco Rottig

    • Off the Beaten Track

      2013 / Director: Jutta Schön

    • Schweben wie Schmetterlinge, Stechen wie Bienen

      2012 / Director: Jana Bürgelin

  • Series

    • Sturm der Liebe

      Since 2019

    • Beta As H.E.L.L.

      2017 / Director: Clemens Roth

    • Pälzisch im Abgang

      2015 / Director: Matthias Schmidt

    • Ich kenne ein Tier

      2015 / Director: Elena Walf