Mika Nikander graduated as master of music from the Sibelius Academy opera department, where he had studied 1997–2003 under the guidance of Peter Lindroos. He supplemented his studies at the Sibelius Academy in 2005–2006 with a degree in music pedagogy.

In addition, he has studied with Tom Krause, Ritva Auvinen, Marja Eskola, Raili Paju, Esko Jurvelin, Neil Mackie (Royal College of Music), Juri Statnik (Moscow Theatre Academy), and Kurt Pfundner (Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst, Vienna).

Mika Nikander’s versatile repertoire includes opera, musical and theatre roles ranging from leading roles to character roles. Among his most important opera roles are the leads in many operas by Mozart, Verdi and Tchaikovsky. He has also been a frequent performer of operetta and musicals, as well as revues and entertainment music.

In theatre, he has performed roles in plays by August Strindberg, Eeva-Liisa Manner, Reko Lundan, Arvo Salo, and Samuel Beckett (Estragon in Waiting for Godot).

Mika Nikander has also directed several productions, such as Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Godzinsky’s Rosvo Roope, Ilmari Hannikainen’s Talkootanssit, and Väinö Linna and Anssi Tikanmäki’s musical Täällä pohjantähden alla, as well as Sirkku Peltola and Matti Puurtinen’s musical Suruttomat.

He has also performed the premieres of several new operas by Finnish composers such as  Ilkka Kuusisto, Olli Kortekangas, Timo-Juhani Kyllönen, Herman Rechberger, and Lauri Kilpiö.

He has held appointments at the Finnish National Opera, the Pori, Vaasa, Joensuu and Vantaa Opera Societies, the Savonlinna Opera Festival, Opera Box, Ooppera Skaala, Kapsäkki Musical Theatre, Vaasa and Seinäjoki city theatres, Åbo svenska teater, Svenska teatern Helsinki, and Ilmajoki Music Festival.

Mika Nikander works as a singer at the Finnish National Opera and is a director at the Karkkilan Työväen Teatteri, as well as the artistic director of the Vaasa Opera Society. In addition, he also works as a singing teacher at the Helsinki conservatory.