Bassem Hawar studied Iraqi and Oriental Music with a major in djoze at the Baghdad Conservatory. He went on to earn a degree in violin and musicology at the University of Baghdad and then spent several years teaching djoze, violin and music theory at the Conservatory and the Baghdad Music School. Hawar performed under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture in various ensembles including Al Bayariq, Al Nahar al jadid, Babel the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra. He also co-founded the group Melodic with his brother, oud player Saad Mahmood Jawad.
Bassem Hawar makes his own instruments and has revolutionized the design and construction of the djoze, an ancient musical instrument dating back to Sumerian times. Formerly confined mainly to use in traditional Iraqi maqam music, Hawar’s innovations render the djoze capable of playing all forms of Arabic and European music. His design is now used in Iraq to make the instrument known as “Bassem’s djoze”.