BAM Affiliation Robert Spano began his tenure as the director and conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra in the fall of 1996, a post he held until 2004. Despite multiple financial crises, the BPO under Spano's leadership gained a fervent following in the New York musical community and press. Working with executive director Joseph Horowitz, Spano developed innovative programs organized around intellectual, dramatic, or historical themes, and often with jarring stylistic juxtapositions featuring unfamiliar works alongside standard repertoire. He also explored the use of visual elements in his programs to augment the standard orchestral concert experience.