Robert "Robbie" Kondor obit

Robert Kondor Obituary

 

He was not on the list.

Award-winning musician and composer Robbie Kondor died on Dec. 10, 2025, after a short illness at his home in North Salem, NY. He was 70 years old. He was born on January 15, 1955 in Budapest, Hungary, and grew up in Queens.

Robbie played the piano, organ, keyboards, harmonica, and mandolin. He won three Emmy Awards for his composing work on the drama series "All My Children" and a Clio Award for his stunning work for Bank of America. Kondor also created the score for Todd Solondz's movie, "Happiness," as well as for many independent films. He had a music production house in New York City -- Kondor Music -- for many years and was always a first-call musician for just about everyone, including Eric Clapton, Carole King, Luciano Pavarotti, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Judy Collins, Billy Joel, The Bee Gees, among many others.

Kondor performed at the White House four times and also on every major daytime and nighttime TV show. A career highlight was his participation in the 2010 Troubadour Reunion Tour with Carole King and James Taylor.

He is survived by his wife, singer/musician Emily Bindiger, with whom he delighted audiences in North Salem with their concerts over the last five years at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library and at the North Salem Community Center.

Kondor is also survived by two children from his previous marriage to Sherry Goffin Kondor, Dillon and Sophie, as well as daughter-in-law Sarah Nathan, son-in-law Michael Jaron, and four grandchildren, Viola, Emmett, Blake, and Andie. Also surviving is Kondor's sister, Judy Kondor Nathanson, and her husband, Rex.

He was beloved and revered as a friend, colleague, and neighbor by everyone he ever met and his level of musicianship was highly respected and unmatched.

When told that he had just a short time left to live, Kondor was philosophical and accepting. "I'm 70 years old," he said. "I've been playing the piano for 65 years. That's pretty good."

He was a composer, known for The Sum of All Fears (2002), Beaches (1988) and Happiness (1998). He was married to Sherry Goffin and Emily Bindiger. He died on December 10, 2025 in North Salem, New York, USA.

Music Department

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

20 Feet from Stardom

7.4

musician

2013

 

John Sencio, Sukanya Krishnan, Egypt, and Stephanie Lydecker in Home Delivery (2004)

Home Delivery

6.7

TV Series

composer: theme music

2004–2005

 

Morgan Freeman and Ben Affleck in The Sum of All Fears (2002)

The Sum of All Fears

6.5

music arranger: songs (uncredited)

2002

 

Series 7: The Contenders (2001)

Series 7: The Contenders

6.5

composer: additional score

2001

 

The Suburbans (1999)

The Suburbans

4.3

music arrangermusician: piano, organ & harmonica

1999

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Camryn Manheim, Jane Adams, and Dylan Baker in Happiness (1998)

Happiness

7.7

score producer / musician: keyboards and pennywhistle

1998

 

Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

6.9

musician: keyboards / synth (uncredited)

1991

 

The Equalizer (1985)

The Equalizer

7.8

TV Series

composer: additional music

1987

1 episode

 

The Canned Film Festival (1986)

The Canned Film Festival

6.9

TV Series

musician

1986

2 episodes

 

David Ogden Stiers, Stacy Keach, Neil Ross, Jay O. Sanders, Craig Sechler, J.T. Turner, and David Pogue in Nova (1974)

Nova

8.7

TV Series

piano music

1986

1 episode

 

Target (1985)

Target

5.9

musician: synthesizers

1985

 

Sally Jessy Raphael in Sally Jessy Raphael (1983)

Sally Jessy Raphael

4.5

TV Series

composer: theme music

1983–2002

 

Americas in Transition (1982)

Americas in Transition

7.7

Short

musician

1982

 

Composer

The Significant Other (2012)

The Significant Other

7.6

Composer

2012

 

Equality U (2008)

Equality U

7.5

Composer

2008

 

Drawing Angel

8.6

Short

Composer

2007

 

Relative Evil (2001)

Relative Evil

5.8

Composer

2001

 

Robert Wagner, Jean Smart, Jennifer Elise Cox, Jorja Fox, and Emily Procter in Forever Fabulous (1999)

Forever Fabulous

6.8

Composer

1999

 

The Suburbans (1999)

The Suburbans

4.3

Composer

1999

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Camryn Manheim, Jane Adams, and Dylan Baker in Happiness (1998)

Happiness

7.7

Composer

1998

 

ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)

ABC Afterschool Specials

7.2

TV Series

Composer

1990

1 episode

 

The Canned Film Festival (1986)

The Canned Film Festival

6.9

TV Series

Composer

1986

2 episodes

 

Soundtrack

Aneesa Ferreira, Shane Landrum, Nany González, Leroy Garrett, Ashley Mitchell, Turabi Çamkiran, Da'Vonne Rogers, and Devin Walker in The Challenge: All Stars (2021)

The Challenge: All Stars

8.3

TV Series

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

2021

1 episode

 

Life During Wartime (2009)

Life During Wartime

6.4

writer: "Excerpts from the original motion picture Score to Happiness"

2009

 

The Rub of Attraction

6.2

Short

music: "Eris"

2007

 

Joan Chen in Saving Face (2004)

Saving Face

7.4

performer: "The Soap"writer: "The Soap"

2004

 

Biography (1987)

Biography

7.7

TV Series

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

2004

1 episode

 

Morgan Freeman and Ben Affleck in The Sum of All Fears (2002)

The Sum of All Fears

6.5

producer: "If We Get Through This"

2002

 

Relative Evil (2001)

Relative Evil

5.8

performer: "Help Me!"writer: "Help Me!"

2001

 

A Prayer for America: Yankee Stadium Memorial (2001)

A Prayer for America: Yankee Stadium Memorial

8.7

TV Special

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

2001

 

Robert Wagner, Jean Smart, Jennifer Elise Cox, Jorja Fox, and Emily Procter in Forever Fabulous (1999)

Forever Fabulous

6.8

performer: "Chicks Cheer"writer: "Chicks Cheer"

1999

 

An Evening with Friends of the Environment (1990)

An Evening with Friends of the Environment

8.4

TV Movie

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

1990

 

The 32nd Annual Grammy Awards (1990)

The 32nd Annual Grammy Awards

8.2

TV Special

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

1990

 

Bette Midler: Wind Beneath My Wings (1989)

Bette Midler: Wind Beneath My Wings

8.2

Music Video

arranger: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

1989

 

Bette Midler: Under the Boardwalk (1988)

Bette Midler: Under the Boardwalk

8.5

Music Video

arranger: "Under the Boardwalk"

1988

 

Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey in Beaches (1988)

Beaches

7.0

arranger: "Under The Boardwalk", "Wind Beneath My Wings", "I've Still Got My Health", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", "Otto Titsling", "I Know You By Heart", "The Glory Of Love", "Baby Mine", "Oh Industry", "The Friendship Theme"

1988

 

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

arranger: "Under The Boardwalk", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today"

1988

1 episode

 

The Care Bears Movie (1985)

The Care Bears Movie

5.6

performer: "Home is in Your Heart"

1985