FEMALE FIRST: The Basra musician bringing east and west together

By Nagham Makki in Basra

In a city where female musicians are scarce, 24-year-old Hajar Tamim is carving out her own space. Tamim, who plays the piano and composes, blends Western classical music with Eastern influences. She also draws inspiration from her hometown’s own culture and history.

Tamim’s musical journey began in childhood when her father gifted her a small piano, teaching her traditional folk melodies. She further developed her skills taking lessons in Sulaymaniyah and Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Then she joined Basra’s own orchestra, where she played longer classical works.

At the same time, Tamim also pursued a degree in marine sciences. Importantly she believes this too plays a part in her musical life.

“The rivers of Basra and the waves of the sea accompany me whenever I play,” she says.

Tamim remembers how even the COVID-19 pandemic fostered her creativity. “I would sit in front of the piano at home, contemplating the details of Basra and exploring its history and heritage, thinking about how people lived there in the past,” Tamim recounts. “I composed a piece titled ‘Basra,’ which was the first piece of music I ever published.”

She provides another example of how her university studies influenced her composition of another piece of music, “Shatt al-Arab,” which she completed in just a few days.

“I have always been captivated by the story of Shatt al-Arab, formed by the convergence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers,” Tamim explained. “Whenever I look at it, I think of the ravages of wars, pollution and extreme temperatures, and how the waterway remains so beautiful and generous to the people of Basra. I felt compelled to repay it with a musical piece that reflects its beauty and “resiliency.”

Tamim’s big break came in 2023 at a festival for young musicians in Baghdad, where she won first prize. That made her the first female from Basra to win such a prize. Her piece “To the South” received compliments from renowned Iraqi maestro Ali Khusaf and earned positive reviews from critics in Iraqi and Arab media.

“I blend Western melodies with Eastern rhythms and try to highlight the Basrawi rhythm in most of my works; this is the melodic identity I am working to develop,” she explains.

Tamim also listens to the works of great Western classical composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Vivaldi alongside Arab artists like Naseer Shamma and Kazem Al-Saher and traditional local music.

Sivan Surin, conductor of the Basra’s orchestra, praises Tamim’s contributions, noting the increasing participation of women in the group. The orchestra, which began as a small project, has grown to include a diverse group of musicians and aims to support young talents.

“Basra was once known for its well-developed music scene,” Surin explained. “And it is now returning to its former glory, with a notable revival of female participation in this field. For example, the Basra orchestra includes eight young female musicians. Despite challenges, these girls have demonstrated exceptional skills and are well supported by their families “

The Basra Orchestra project started about 10 years ago and held its first concert in 2018. It has since established itself and has performed at multiple Iraqi and international events but continues to provide support to young talents for almost nothing.

Tamim is not only focused on her own career, she also teaches music and wants to foster a new generation of musicians. She dreams of composing soundtracks for films and creating orchestral works that merge Eastern and Western styles. She also advocates for modernizing music schools in Basra to foster a deeper understanding between Eastern and Western musical traditions.

This story was completed as part of a series of articles supported by the QARIB programme, a regional initiative funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by the French Media Development Agency (CFI).