The Brooklyn Academy of Music's executive producer, Joseph Melillo is a gatekeeper for emerging talent at the venerable arts institution. He's also served on the faculty at Brooklyn College.

Melillo grew up in Brooklyn, the son of a butcher, and started working with the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1983 when BAM's legendary director, Harvey Lichtenstein, recruited him to head up the first Next Wave Festival. Melillo worked alongside Lichtenstein for a decade and a half as BAM's programming director; it was Melillo's job to find new talent to bring to BAM's stage, a task that often took him off the beaten path. When Lichtenstein stepped down as director in 1999, his job was essentially divided in two: Karen Brooks Hopkins was assigned responsibility for the BAM's administrative and business matters while Melillo was placed in charge of the institution's creative direction. Some wondered if Melillo would continue along the path that Lichtenstein had established or would take BAM in new directions and seek out new work. He's managed to do both, offering up some familiar names—Mark Morris, David Lang, and Michael Gordon—as well as engage new talents. [Image via Getty]