ALBANY, Ore. — The Albany Youth Orchestra could face a budget deficit of up to $50,000 next year, putting classes and scholarships at risk for young musicians who rely on the nonprofit for affordable lessons. The organization serves close to 200 students a year, ages 8 to 18, according to Executive Director Madison Pritchard. It offers 18 classes and pays five instructors, while providing about $40,000 in scholarships annually. Forty-three percent of students receive aid to help cover the $648 cost of eight months of instruction. Donations fell from about $50,000 to $18,000 over the past year, Pritchard said, while grants have become more competitive. The orchestra has already dropped four classes because of low enrollment. Its operating budget typically ranges from $100,000 to $150,000; tax filings show $118,000 in revenue and $125,000 in expenses in the most recent year reported. “The number of students, that’s never been the problem,” Pritchard said. “It’s how to pay for our students.” Founded by parents in 2007, the orchestra provides string instruction in a community where many families face financial barriers. Seventy percent of students in the Greater Albany School District are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, according to Oregon Department of Education data. For Caroline Pérez, a scholarship made lessons possible for her 10-year-old son, Benjamin. Private instruction had cost the family about $200 a month, a difficult expense while her husband is the household’s sole breadwinner. Benjamin said he hopes to make his grandmother, who lives in the Dominican Republic, proud by learning violin. The nonprofit also brings some classes to local schools to help families for whom transportation is a barrier. Its small campus holds about 350 instruments, including more than 60 cellos and eight upright basses. Community members have donated materials and labor, including help building instrument storage. Pritchard said the program aims to make classical music welcoming and relevant, teaching works by composers such as Bach alongside arrangements of pop artists and mariachi music. Families say lessons offer children both an artistic outlet and a chance to learn alongside peers from different backgrounds. Cheyenne Perkins enrolled her 9-year-old son, Drax Brown, for double-bass lessons after learning scholarships were available. Perkins said she had started learning the instrument as a child, but school music opportunities later disappeared as funding was cut. The orchestra’s financial strain comes as interest remains strong, Pritchard said. The nonprofit is considering classes at a fifth school, but its ability to expand — and maintain current offerings — depends on finding enough funding for instruction and student aid.