Horsti Baltes was educated in Germany at the Musik hoch schule Des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken and the Akademie für Tonkunst in Darmstadt.

He has extensive experience as a solo and chamber music performer, having toured in Europe, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. He has been teaching guitar for over 30 years and joined the staff at the Wollongong Conservatorium in 2001.